The Bureau Files: Series 3
by Catsafari
Summary: When magic is accidentally released upon the world, new Creations spring to life, causing chaos wherever they go. Now it's up to the Bureau to mend their mistakes before it's too late. But as the year comes to its end, time is running out for Haru Yoshioka. Cover art by Angie/drawerofdoodles.
1. The Komainu Guardian (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N: So, a few months late, the third series of _The Bureau Files_ is finally beginning! As usual, this'll be updating on a weekly basis, with seven 'cases'/stories spread across fourteen episodes/chapters running over a single story arc. This will run into December and, given my recent progress, there will be no Christmas story this year. ( _The Dreamers_ really took it out of me last year.) Hopefully, when this series is finished, I shall be back on track with my other fanfics. **

**Cat.**

 **EDIT: Cover art was done by the wonderful Angie, on her Tumblr blog: drawerofdoodles. Please check out her lovely art!**

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 1: The Komainu Guardian (Part 1)**

Haru Yoshioka's arrival into the flat was announced with the clattering of door keys and the audible fumbling for the light switch as her shoes were kicked off against the wall. She sounded like she was in a hurry, but that was nothing new. Hiromi's long-term friend and flatmate seemed to constantly have somewhere to go nowadays.

And she was _always_ running behind schedule.

"You have a morning shift at the pet store in half an hour," Hiromi idly reminded her. She stood in the doorway of the lounge, watching Haru shrug off a couple of jackets and a scarf, and drop them onto the stairway banister. True, it was turning autumn, but only just. Hardly enough to justify so many layers. "Have you been out all night?"

Haru pulled off a thick woollen hat and ran a hand quickly through her short hair. It had been recently cut back and she was relieved to have it out of her eyes once again. "No," she said. Her hand came away wet from her hair and she wiped the remnant water droplets roughly on her discarded scarf. "I was just... you know, out running." Haru gave a hasty grin and started up the stairs. "Got to keep fit after all; it's not like I'm taking those self-defence classes anymore."

"Only because you couldn't continue to afford it," Hiromi muttered. "Hey, where are you going? You only have half an hour before work!"

"Shower!" Haru shouted back. "I need to warm up!"

"Warm up?" her friend echoed. She glanced to the many layers Haru had shed upon entering their flat. Two coats were strewn upon the banister, and the scarf was now carelessly trailing across the steps. Yes, the days were becoming colder now with the arrival of autumn, but even so, Haru's choice of clothing for an early-morning run was still a little... _odd_. Hiromi retrieved the fallen scarf and draped it beside the coat. Her fingers came away wet and cold... As if the folds of the scarf was crusted with the remains of... _snow_.

It was all too strange for this time of year.

Upstairs, Haru was revelling in the heat seeping into her body. The goose-bumps had quickly faded away upon her return to this part of the world, but she could still the cold of the north resting in her bones.

" _Yetis_ ," she muttered under her breath. She cupped the shower water and washed the warmth into her face. "He could have warned me there would be _yetis_."

There was another shout from downstairs – Hiromi reminding her that she didn't have enough time to dawdle – and Haru reluctantly withdrew from the shower. She bandaged up a few of her newest scars – a few scratches and grazes gained from the rocky tundra terrain – and dressed. She desperately needed to ignore the fact that she hadn't actually slept last night if she was going to survive her next shift at the pet store.

"It's fine for _them_ ," she murmured as her mind was cast over the rest of the Cat Bureau. "They don't have to tackle a morning shift the next day. Baron and Toto don't even need to sleep as much as people do." She pulled a face in the mirror, blinking slowly in the hope it would chase away the bags under her eyes. It didn't. "I bet Muta is sleeping right now though, the lazy cat," she sighed wistfully.

"HARU! You've got fifteen minutes!"

"Alright! I know!" She glanced back to her tired, aching reflection and managed a wiry grin. Her reflection grinned back, and – although she hadn't slept in the last twenty-four hours, and had almost been eaten twice in the same period – there was a lightness in her eyes. Her life had become crazy in the last couple of years, thanks to the Bureau.

"But then again," she murmured, "who doesn't need a little crazy in their life?"

ooOoo

"Alright, I'm here." Haru swung into the Paradise Pet Store with a yawn and a general feeling that today was going to be a blessedly ordinary day. Neither lasted particularly long. Before she had even lowered her bag, Haru was nearly knocked over by a bundle of hysterical white feathers. She caught herself and stared over at the heavy cockatoo now perched happily on her shoulder.

" _I'm here_ ," the bird mimicked. " _I'm here_."

Haru blinked and slowly leant away. Or, she did her best to, anyway – it was a little difficult when the aforementioned bird was somewhat attached to her shoulder. "What are you doing out of your cage, Tippi?" She glanced across the room and saw the other shop worker – the grandson of the shop owner – attempting to sneak up on the wayward bird.

Haru raised an eyebrow. Neither she – nor the cockatoo – were impressed. Tippi gave a whistling laugh and flew off just as Michael Banner leapt for the creature. Haru sidestepped the young man and, instinctively, caught his arm before he went crashing into the door. It was not a case that she had become graceful, but merely that her reflexes had grown sharper during her time with the Bureau.

She pulled him back to his feet.

"Hello, Michael."

He gave a sheepish grin. "Hello, Haru. You're late."

"And you've got bird problems again," she said.

"Just like old times then."

"And, just like old times, you need me to swoop in and save you."

Michael laughed. "That's fair enough." However, as Haru turned to where Tippi was gleefully flying about the shop, he caught her hand. A couple of minor scratches were visible. "Haru..."

She pulled her sleeve across her palm. "Oh, come on. It's nothing."

"They're fresh," Michael noted.

"I could have easily got them – I don't know – catching myself on the door or something."

"But you didn't." He tugged at the sleeve to reveal the bandages Haru had earlier applied. "What was it this time?"

Haru hesitated a moment before answering. "Yetis," she muttered.

" _What_?"

"It's not really as bad as it sounds!" she insisted. "I mean, _yes_ , they were rabid when we started out – that was what brought us there in the first place – but Baron _did_ manage to cure them before they ate anyone. Even if we did have to lure them out with bait originally..." Sometimes, being the only human in the Bureau meant she was the prime candidate for bait. It was amazing how popular human flesh was amongst monsters. "Actually, they were pretty good hosts once they were calmed down."

"You have to be more careful in future," Michael scolded.

"I _was_." She laughed, hoping to lessen the seriousness. She prodded him playfully in the chest. "You _know_ that the Bureau work is dangerous – and, to be honest, a few scratches are the _least_ of my problems. Anyway, I don't do the work alone. I have Baron and the others."

"That's true," he admitted. And then, in a quieter voice, he added, "The Baron wouldn't let any harm come to you."

Tippi, apparently bored with being ignored, flew back down and landed on Michael's shoulder. " _Rabid_ ," she echoed gleefully. " _Lure them out. Baron and the others_."

Michael turned on the bird and attempted to capture it – but she easily flew out of reach before he could stop her.

"Dratted bird," he complained. He started into a run after the hysterical cockatoo, which was now going through the full range of its mimicking. "Get down here before customers start arriving!"

Haru sat back and laughed. She was aware that she really should be helping, but she couldn't stop herself. She watched and laughed, because it was just such a change from her last Bureau case, and it was always nice to no longer be worried that she was about to be eaten.

She was quite fond of ordinary life, after all.

ooOoo

"Hey, I'm home." Haru slouched back into her shared flat at the end of the day and quickly stopped before she toppled over the chair centring the hallway. Atop the chair was Hiromi, perched perilously as she attempted to change the light bulb above.

"Hi Home, I'm Hiromi," her flatmate chirped back.

"Hysterical."

"I always thought so." The chair wobbled dangerously beneath the other woman, and Haru abruptly caught the seat before it toppled over.

"You know, you could have just waited until I came back," Haru reprimanded. "You can barely reach the light."

"Are you making fun of my height?"

"I'm merely making an observation," Haru said. "If I were making fun of your stature, I would have been sure to add 'shortie' the end of that sentence."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." She watched her flatmate struggle with the bulb for a few more seconds. "Are you sure you don't want to let me try?"

"Oh, sure; I'll let the klutz do this instead."

"I _will_ let you fall."

"I'll make sure I land on you."

"I'd like to see you try."

Suddenly, the light bulb slotted in and burst into light. There was a shot of electric energy and Hiromi recoiled away as the light bulb fuse went with a bang. The hallway dropped into darkness and Haru heard Hiromi slip straight off the chair. She caught her and both women collapsed onto the carpet.

"Geez, Hiromi; I didn't actually mean it."

"That hurt!"

"Falling off a chair will do that."

"No, I meant the electric shock."

Haru sat up and waited for her eyes to adjust to the semi-gloom. The only light now was that which was overflowing from the lounge. "You must have forgotten to turn the light off," she said. "You're lucky it was only an electric shock and you didn't electrocute yourself instead. Here, let me see your hands..."

Hiromi numbly turned her palms over. There were no signs of burns or any injury, superficially at least, and so Haru reached out for her friend's hand. The moment they made contact, a jolt of energy shot out at Haru.

"Ow!"

"Hey, what–?"

Both women paused to massage their tingling hands.

"What was that?" Haru asked.

"I don't know. Maybe residual electricity?" Hiromi ventured.

Haru wasn't sure. Then again, she wasn't exactly a physics expert. "Here, let's see if it happens again."

"Hey!" Hiromi tried to recoil back, but Haru was too quick; she caught her friend's hands, but to no effect. Whatever had just happened appeared to be a one-off.

"Well, whatever happened, it's over now." Hiromi flexed her fingers, silently reassuring herself that her joints were still working. "Heh. I guess it's just my _electric_ personality."

"And with that, I know you're back to normal," Haru sighed. She shooed Hiromi in the direction of the kitchen. "Go and... I don't know, run your hands under cold water or something."

"Will that do anything?" Hiromi asked doubtfully.

"How should I know? But I'd feel better if you did something."

Haru watched her friend disappear off into the kitchen, and then glanced down to her own hands. She could still feel the residual energy clinging to her skin. She wasn't well-versed in electric shocks, but there had been far too many sparks going. And...

She rubbed at her fingers, still unable to rid herself of the uneasy energy remaining. Whatever had jumped from Hiromi's hand... it wasn't electricity. No, what she was dealing with was raw magic. It wasn't hers though; she would recognise her passive, portal-opening magic with ease – no, this was something... almost wholly unfamiliar. Although she was sure she had sensed it somewhere else, the memory was elusive.

But... Hiromi didn't have magic.

Did she?

ooOoo

As Haru dropped by the Sanctuary, a wholly different sensation of magic ran over her bones. When she passed under the archway, the Creation magic seeped into her and shrunk her down to a mere foot in height. She waved to the stone crow atop the column centring the courtyard and headed straight to the double-doors.

"Good morning, Baron."

The Creation barely glanced up from the paperwork he was filing. "Good morning, Haru." He spared a brief smile. "I see you have recovered from our little excursion with the yetis."

" _Little_ excursion, you call it," Haru echoed. " _Right_. As I recall it, you weren't the one who was almost eaten raw."

"We had everything completely under control."

"You say that about every case we go on." Haru swept over to the desk and looked over the newly-filled forms. They were useful for keeping tabs on who the Bureau had met, as well as the various dangers they had encountered along the way. Somewhere in Baron's elaborate filling system, there would be a file around a decade old describing her very first encounter with the Bureau. She had often wondered what it would say.

"Is there tea in the pot, or should I start up a new blend?"

"There's a fresh batch ready," Baron said. "Help yourself."

"I know I'm a regular when you allow me to make tea for myself," Haru noted. She scooted over to the kettle and started to amass the necessary ingredients. "Do we have any new cases, or have things calmed down for now?"

"It looks like it's all quiet for now," Baron answered, "but, given our track record, there's no telling how long that will last."

It looked like the filing had got out of control, for a mass of notes had found their way to the kitchen-side cabinet, and Haru had to dig around just to find a clean teacup. Along the way, she nudged some sheets loose and a page with a strange symbol slipped forward.

She lowered the kettle and leant towards the unfamiliar design.

"Hey, Baron... What's this?"

"What's what – wait, don't touch it!"

The Creation's warning came too late, and Haru's fingers brushed over the mark in the same moment. Haru's passive magic flared up and the power in the symbol resonated within her. There was a sickening, dizzy sensation and suddenly Haru's head was knocking against the Bureau's chandelier.

She glanced down at Baron, and then at her hands, which were now larger than the kettle she had previously been holding. She carefully lowered herself and took a slow seat on the chest in the corner.

"Well," she said after a long moment. "This situation seems awfully familiar." She raised an eyebrow at Baron, now noticeably smaller than her as she had reverted to her human height. "Considering what happened last time my size started changing, should I be worried?"

' _Why does this always happen to me?_ '

Baron collected up the page – which was now emitting a gentle discharge of blue smoke – while taking care to avoid making contact with the strange symbol, and gingerly moved it to his desk. Haru couldn't help thinking that it was a little too late for that. "You have nothing to fear, Haru. If you remove your necklace and then return it, it should revert you to a much more comfortable size."

"Sounds like the same advice I get whenever my computer crashes," Haru mumbled, but she followed through with his instructions. "You know," she added when Baron gave her a curious look, "turn it off and on again. Reboot the system. That kind of thing." Regardless, when she clicked the magic necklace back about her throat, she was reassured by a familiar shrinking sensation. Now able to walk across the room without taking the chandelier with her, she wandered over to the desk and the guilty page. "So... what is it?"

"It's a spell I am working on. While I have perfected an enchantment that allows me to change height when moving to other worlds, I am very aware that there are times when my size and appearance are a hindrance in this world."

"So?" Haru leant forward, but took care not to repeat her previous mistake. "It's never bothered you before. Anyway, what good would come of you being human-sized in this world? You'd get as many strange looks – if not more – if you worked this out. That, or everyone would think you were selling something."

"You misunderstand me, Haru. I do not wish to merely become human- _sized_."

Haru froze, still peering down at the desk. The gears in her head where whirring as she rapidly re-adjusted for this new piece of implied information. She abruptly turned to the Creation.

Baron met her gaze steadily, although he had to know what was rushing through her mind.

"You want to become human?"

"Not permanently. But, yes; I believe that temporary humanity would give me an advantage in some cases."

"Does the spell work?"

"Only partly." Baron swept his hand across the desk and crumpled the sheet, scrunching the symbol into a ball. "It can get me as far as human- _sized_ – as you have just demonstrated – but it rather struggles with the human part."

"Oh."

Haru's eyes flickered to the paper as it was discarded into his pocket. Her mind was cast over the few other times – that she knew of – that Baron had been tempted with humanity. The first time had almost cost him his life... as the very humans he had become like turned on him. The second time Baron had held the very concoction that would turn him human – and he had thrown it away. She still remembered the absolute sound it made as it was smashed upon the table.

She looked back to him. "Why now?"

"Why not now?"

"Well, it's just that I..." Haru hesitated, and then gave an uneasy shrug; she had little clue quite how she was going to end that sentence. She tried again. "I'm a little surprised that you want to do this at all." Her gaze turned sympathetic as memories replayed before her eyes. "After all, your last brush with humanity was a far cry from pleasant. I thought that it had turned you away from the idea entirely."

That was putting it mildly. It had almost put him off the idea of _humans_ , period. There had been a short time when he hadn't been able to even look her in the eye. He had recovered – but it hadn't been simple.

"I've reconsidered."

"Oh." Haru blinked. A smile blossomed across her features and she moved back to the kettle, to work on the tea that she still hadn't got around to making. "Well, that's good. Let's just hope it goes better than your last project of this nature." She briefly touched the necklace that allowed her to shrink upon entering the Sanctuary. It hadn't always worked so perfectly, especially upon its initial creation. "We really don't want a repeat of that."

"Agreed." Baron watched the brunette dance between the kettle and the teacup, smoothly collecting up the milk and setting the kettle boiling. He glanced back down to the filing scattered across the desk, moving some of the sheets aside to find the remains of his research into the possibility of temporary humanity. It was far from a simple request, and part of him doubted whether it was possible at all.

True, he had been human once – a well-meaning kitsune had transformed him for her own purposes, but it hadn't been true humanity. He had been a half-breed; he had bled sap and his eyes had spoken of a non-human heritage. Although he could bleed blood while in his flesh form, the shape the kitsune had given him had been a strange mix of his figurine status and human.

To turn him human – even for a short period – would require more magic than he had to spare.

His thoughts were disturbed by a cup of steaming tea being gently placed into his hands. Haru stared at him as she did so, one eyebrow critically raised.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Baron took the offered drink and attempted a smile. "It's nothing."

Haru's eyebrows did a funny dance that, Baron suspected, meant she wasn't buying his lie. Regardless, she smiled back – although her smile was a little sad – and turned to pick up her own cup of tea. "Right then, I guess it's time we got this filing sorted out. How can you even make such a mess over such a little case?"

Baron chuckled lightly, relieved that Haru's tone indicated she was back to her usual self. "Little case?" he echoed. "As I recall, it was _you_ who were complaining not five minutes ago that you were almost eaten yesterday."

Haru waved it away. "Priorities."

She started to sweep up the papers, skimming over them and slipping them back into their respective files. Her companion began to work on rearranging his notes on the spell, and for a few minutes there was a comfortable silence settled out between them. As Haru finished filing the worst of the mess, she stopped and looked back over to the Creation.

"Baron?"

"Yes, Haru?"

"Can... someone have latent magic? I mean, can they have magic and never realise it?"

"You possessed the ability to open portals for years without knowing of it," Baron replied. "So, yes. There are many cases where people have the potential for magic but never discover it. Why do you ask?"

Haru thought back to the events of earlier that day. "I... I think Hiromi might have some sort of power."

"The friend with whom you share residence?"

"That would be her," Haru said. "She was changing a light bulb when she gave herself an electric shock. Afterwards, I felt something rather like magic... _jump_ from her hand."

"Something like an electric shock could well awaken latent magic," Baron mused. "Electricity, like magic, is a form of energy. Has she shown any changes since then?"

"It was only a few hours ago. She seems pretty normal." As normal as Hiromi got, anyway. "Could...? I mean, is there a way to check this? Because if she does have magic, who knows what kind of trouble she could get into." It had been a year ago, but Haru could still remember how her own magic had been responsible for dropping Hiromi into Oz... which had almost ended with the death of her friend. "What if it's not passive like my magic? What if she hurts someone else – or herself?"

"Magic is not something to be feared, Haru."

"No," Haru admitted, "but it is something that should be kept under control."

Baron paused, thinking over Haru's plea and coming to a decision. He nodded. "The easiest way would be if Toto or I could see this friend of yours."

"And how are we going to do that?" Haru glanced to where he had been working on the enchantment. "I mean, if you could turn into a human, that would be _something_ , but I have a feeling that it's going to be a while before you have this spell sorted out. So what are we going to do? I can hardly just sneak you into the apartment in the middle of the night, can I?"

There was a pregnant pause, and Haru suddenly regretted airing her thoughts at all.

Baron smiled. "Why not?"

ooOoo

"If Hiromi wakes up, I don't know how I'm going to explain any of this," Haru muttered. She waited for the two Creations to step inside, and then brought the window shut with a decisive snap. "So it's just the two of you? What happened to Muta?"

Toto cackled as Baron stepped off him and onto the desk. "Do you really think that puddingbrain would be any use on a stealth mission like this?"

"He's sleeping, isn't he?" Haru translated. "I bet he sleeps like the dead."

"When Muta is sleeping, it is often best to let him lie," Baron admitted. "Talking of sleeping, how is your friend?"

"Sleeping like a log and snoring like a chainsaw. And just as long as we keep quiet, that isn't going to change." She nodded towards the door and lowered her hand to the feline Creation. "Come on; I'll take you to her."

Baron stepped onto the proffered palm and was carefully raised to Haru's shoulder. The fact that Haru and agreed to this idea at all was a sign of her worry. But, then again, this wasn't something they could do from afar; if he wanted to know precisely what the magic was, he would have to be reasonably close. Haru softly moved from her room, padding towards Hiromi's as she felt her way along the corridor. Toto flew silently behind.

Haru eased her friend's door open and slipped inside. The moonlight provided just enough of a glow to see by, and so the room was outlined in greyscale shading. As Haru had noted, Hiromi's presence was marked by the unapologetic rumble of snoring. Haru would have complained long ago but – so she had been told – she was almost as bad in the snoring department herself. Haru set Baron down on the bedside table. "So... is there anything?"

Baron held up a hand as he surveyed the room. His brows furrowed and magic shifted in his palm, growing into a gentle glow of one of his light orbs. He looked back to Toto; his whiskers twitching and his gaze troubled. "Toto... Have we encountered this magic before?"

The crow hopped to Baron's side and stared down his beak at the sleeping Hiromi. Haru crossed her fingers that her friend didn't abruptly wake.

"Now you mention it, it _is_ familiar."

"So I wasn't imagining things?" Haru asked. "She really does have magic?" ' _And I knew I recognised it... but the question is... why?_ '

"Yes," Baron said. "And, like I theorised, it has been recently awoken. But..." He glanced to Haru, and this time there was real worry in his green eyes. "This isn't her magic."

"What do you mean it isn't her magic? It's coming from her, right? How can it be anyone else's? After all, she's had practically no contact with other magic, except–" The words died on her tongue as the realisation hit.

"Except from her time in Oz," Baron finished. "Perhaps it had more consequences than we thought."

"There was that enchantress – Princess Lanwidere – who took her head... That has to be it," Haru said, rolling through the realisation as it struck. "She had magic and Hiromi spent a good deal of time there. Perhaps... when Lanwidere did the head-swapping thing..." Just thinking about it was enough to make Haru feel nauseous, "Perhaps some of her magic was left in Hiromi. And it's taken until now – until the electric shock – to reawaken that magic..."

She looked to Baron.

"Please tell me I'm wrong."

"I wish I could, Haru. But it looks to me that the magic signature your friend possesses is uncannily similar to that of Princess Lanwidere. If that is so, then it is highly likely that some residual magic of hers remained in part of your friend."

"And what does that mean?"

Baron took a moment to answer, mulling over his words before he spoke them. "Lanwidere's magic is a foreign power to your friend; while it was dormant it was of no matter, but now it is awakening I fear it could be harmful. Human bodies are rarely compatible with magic in this world – you are only able to possess your magic due to your father's heritage – and I doubt that your friend's body will not be able to cope with this new stress."

"So what do we do?"

"We could remove the magic," Toto suggested. "It should be a relatively simple task."

Baron looked to Haru. "It's your decision."

"I... I don't know." Her gaze flickered to the sleeping form of Hiromi. Her time in Oz had almost cost Hiromi her life. What a bitter realisation it was to discover that Hiromi could still suffer from that lone incident. It seemed cruel to take a newfound power from Hiromi, but if Baron was right then the power would do more harm than good.

And what right did she have to drag her friend into the dangerous world of magic and Creations... again?

She shook her head. "Alright. Do it."

Baron smiled softly, sympathetically, and knelt down to Hiromi's sleeping face. His gloved hands hovered gently above her head, skimming a good inch away from her skin. His fingers twitched as he felt the ebb and flow of awakening magic within the young woman.

"As Toto said, the procedure is simple," he murmured, his face partially turning to Haru but his eyes never leaving Hiromi, "but that doesn't mean this will be an easy task. The magic is comfortable within your friend, although I doubt the magic is in any way comfortable to her. It will not go willingly."

"Does that mean you can't do it?"

"Oh, I can. But... it isn't going to be pretty... Ah."

Baron's fingers caught an errant curl of magic, unseen to Haru but perfectly tangible to the Creation. He tugged it loose and felt the drag of the magic pull back. Like fingers weaving across an invisible loom or an unseen piano, his gloves played across the air above, and now the latent power was beginning to fight back.

A stray coil of magic struck out, striking the light above; the bulb burst into momentary colour and then, as quickly as it had happened, the fuse went. The room was dropped into seemingly deeper darkness. Baron caught the wayward stream and wove it back between his fingers.

More was coming loose now, like a rug with the seams pulled out. It was losing its streamlined shape and becoming wilder. It didn't want to leave the cosy host it had found; it certainly didn't want to be dragged out and cast away. Another twist of power leapt away, and the cupboards were sent rattling. Haru jumped away, but even as she turned Baron had already swept it back under control.

"Baron...?"

"Nearly... there..."

The magic was struggling with the last of its strength, but that didn't mean it was finished yet. Two streams flashed across the room this time. One hit the mirror, and suddenly the reflection was filled with strange shapes and images until the glass cracked a moment later. The other swept around the confined space like a sharp wind.

Baron pulled the last streams of magic loose from Hiromi, and suddenly it was cut free from its dormant host with only the Creation for a link. It rebounded back into the figurine who dropped away from Hiromi with a snap. The magic ran over his fur, rippling across his face and crackling like raw electricity through him.

To Haru, she could only sense the magic, but she could smell something that smelt like... burning wood. She snapped her gaze to the other Creation. "Toto? What's going on?"

The crow hopped over to his friend. "Baron, you can't hold that magic," he hissed, his words unusually sharp. "You were never made to keep such power. _You have to let it go_."

"I... know..." Baron's eyes flickered to his fellow Creation and a weak smile managed to grace his lips. "Stand back."

Toto followed the order without hesitation. Haru decided to take a cautious step away as well.

Baron began to tear the foreign magic loose from his own, untangling the two strains with painful force. He should have been taking more care, but he didn't have the time for it; the other magic was agonisingly potent. It flooded his own and threatened to overcome the magic that sustained him.

Suddenly he felt that enough strands of the magic had been separated for him to expel the awakening force. It snapped free and fell away from him like a taut string cut. He dropped down to his knees, breathing hard.

"Baron...?"

He held up a hand to stave off the immediate questions. It took a moment for his breath to return enough to speak. "The magic is gone from your friend, Haru."

"Gone where?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it will dissipate into the environment and that will be the end of it." He tried to push himself to his feet, but his legs almost gave beneath him. Haru's hand caught him, and he looked up with gratitude to the young woman. "Thank you."

Haru picked him up, setting him onto her shoulder. "You're welcome. You don't look great though." She started to tiptoe back into the corridor, retreading her steps back to her room. Toto was quick to follow. "How are you?"

"I've been better," he admitted. "But it's nothing that a good night's rest won't cure." In truth, he had been forced to tear a little of his Creation magic free with Princess Lanwidere's, but he would heal. He rubbed at his right hand; the toll on the magic had reduced his arm to wood, but that would fade with a night's rest.

He had suffered worse.

"We're lucky that Hiromi didn't wake," Haru noted. She pushed her window open and helped Baron off her shoulder. "I don't know how she managed to sleep through all that."

"The process of removing magic tends to tire out both individuals involved," Toto said. "If she's a heavy sleeper ordinarily, I expect nothing will rise her until the morning now."

"Toto is right. Although," Baron added, "it might be wise for you to have some sort of headache remedy ready for when she does finally wake." He smiled sympathetically. "She's going to know about it in the morning."

"Thanks for the warning." Haru watched Baron slip onto Toto's back, keeping the window steady as the crow hopped onto the sill. "And, Baron... are you sure you're okay?"

"Never been better, Haru."

"Well, that's a lie, I hope."

Baron chuckled lightly. As Toto turned to leave, Haru spoke once more.

"Baron, you said that the magic will dissipate into the environment and that'll be the end of it, right?"

"Yes."

"... What if it isn't?"

"Then we'll deal with it. It's what we do best."

"I thought that was running."

"Second-best, then."

ooOoo

Along the edges of town, a _Shinto shrine_ lay almost wholly forgotten. Only the occasional curious tourist or nostalgic local kept it from being swept into history entirely, and that was far from enough to keep back the overgrowth of green. In the years gone by, its only neighbour had become a graveyard, forever sweet with the scent of incense to mark the passing of a loved one. The _Torii_ gate had become overrun with moss and the stone steps were barely visible anymore beneath their blanket of green. Even the stone _komainu_ had suffered, with only one lion dog statue remained standing; its partner made unrecognisable by time.

It was the small hours of the morning when, by the light of the full moon, a handful of drunk and rather lost students found themselves at the entrance. The stench of alcohol smothered the scent of the graveyard and their disorientated shouts bounced off the decrepit buildings. A couple drifted towards one of the smaller side buildings, where the door hung off its hinges and the remains of an old well sat crumbled in the middle, while the other two managed as far as the entrance to the inner shrine.

And so they were too far gone to sense the unnatural gust of wind, sweeping through the archway and up the stairs, and eventually soaking into the remaining _komainu_. They didn't notice the stone creature as its dulled eyes blinked into unexpected life. Or, if they had, they disregarded it as a figment of their inebriated minds.

Perhaps, if they had known they were being watched, they would have turned tail and fled. Perhaps they wouldn't have found it so funny to bin their empty beer cans into the forgotten well. Perhaps they would have thought better than to scrawl obscenities across the walls. And perhaps, had they not been drunk on alcohol and the excitement of the night, they would not have pried their way into the inner shrine.

Perhaps they would have seen the guardian statue slowly turn and stare as they stuttered into the faded room.

The _komainu_ watched as they rampaged throughout the inner shrine, laughing and shrieking as their fuzzy minds fond the whole situation hilarious. Old prayers that had been left, undisturbed in the inner shrine for years, were torn from the walls and ripped apart. The few remnants of furniture were shattered by the students who could barely remain on their feet anymore.

And still the _komainu_ watched.

It had no names for emotions; it had only known life for a few minutes and yet it knew it felt something sharp and unpleasant form within itself. It absorbed the drunken recklessness and reasonless abandon from the students, and knew little else. It only knew that it had no care for the boys who had intruded its home and desecrated its sanctuary.

Despite the newness of life so recently bestowed upon it, it knew that it had once been created to guard the shrine; and even after all these years, a spark of that obligation remained. It flexed its paws. Shards of stone fell away.

It wriggled its other paw and both legs rippled into furry, strong life.

It rose to its feet and now more stone began to fall away. It shook its rocky mane and now its whole body burst into living, breathing flesh. It took the first breath in its life and felt the cold night air rush into its newly-formed lungs. It could feel so much – smell so much – hear so much – but all its senses were solely fixed on the intruders.

It took a heavy step off its post and landed solidly on the steps leading to the shrine's interior.

It had no names for emotions, but that didn't lessen its anger. It didn't have to name the feeling for it to be present. It bared its teeth into a snarl and stepped up into the shrine. While time had dulled its claws, the magic absorbed into it had sharpened them back into wicked curves.

This was the guardian as created by its artisan. Created to guard and protect its home.

And the artisan had created it _deadly_.

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"Don't worry. I have no plans on going anywhere near that abandoned shrine. What kind of crazy idiot do you take me for?" / Haru stopped scrabbling for the rope and suddenly became very aware that she was trapped down a well with a very dangerous...**_ **something** _ **prowling the building above. / '**_ **I don't need to be human. I just need to be able to save her.'** _ **/ He stalked past Muta and started to approach the creature, regardless of the fact it was twice his size and had paws as big as dinner plates. "Given recent developments, I am finding that I have**_ **very** _ **little patience for this dog today."**_


	2. The Komainu Guardian (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 2: The Komainu Guardian (Part 2)**

"Listen to this, Haru." Hiromi leant over the kitchen counter towards Haru. She had a broadsheet newspaper spread before her, weighed down at the corners by the remains of breakfast and one half-drunk glass of orange juice.

" _Readers may recall that last week four students were found grievously injured at an abandoned shrine on the outskirts of town;_ _today has added another notch in the mystery as a local was found dead in the vicinity this morning. People have been warned to avoid the area until the matter has been cleared up. The first case struck newspapers across the town last week due to the animalistic wounds that appear to be typical of some kind of large predator. Officials are looking into the possibility of feral dogs..._ "

"While this is fascinating, is there any reason for telling me all this?" Haru asked. She finished up the last of her tea batch and made a mental note to start on a soothing ginger blend next time. "I've already promised you that I have no intention of going anywhere near that area; why would I? It's halfway across town."

"Tsuge wrote this piece! That's why!" Hiromi beamed, shamelessly proud of her boyfriend. "Isn't it a great piece?"

"To be honest, it's kind of like most other articles," Haru admitted.

"Oh, shoo. You're no fun."

"What was I meant to say? ' _Oh, Hiromi, it's like poetry of old; it flows off the tongue like sweet honey; please, read it again so I can bask in its beauty'_?"

Hiromi gave her flatmate a long stare. "Drink your tea, Haru."

"Already done."

"Don't you have a shift at the pet store this morning or something?"

"Nope." She emptied out the remnant tea dregs and swung her bag over her shoulder. "I'm meeting up with a few friends today instead."

Hiromi's head abruptly lifted from the newspaper. She feigned shock. "You mean you have _other_ friends other than me? How could you betray me like that?"

"Oh, I know, Hiromi; it's hard to believe I have a social life outside the _crazy_ times we have here, but try not to be too downhearted. After all, for some reason or another, I'm _still_ friends with you." She ducked just in time to avoid the jacket thrown her way.

"What have I ever done to you?"

"Do you want the list alphabetically or chronologically?"

"For someone who claims they're not a morning person–"

"I'm not."

"–you've got an awfully smart mouth for this time of day."

"It must be a result of living with you."

"Hilarious. Look at me; I'm splitting my seams from laughter." However, as Haru started to leave, Hiromi reached out and caught her flatmate's arm. Her expression was suddenly serious. "Haru... Please be careful."

Haru hesitated, and then gently eased her arm free. That was twice in as many days that she had received a warning of that sort. "Don't worry. I have no plans on going anywhere near that abandoned shrine. What kind of crazy idiot do you take me for?"

ooOoo

' _I should really learn to keep my mouth shut..._ '

With a sinking heart, Haru looked over the all-too-familiar newspaper Baron had just spread before her. She wasn't even going to ask how he had acquired or shrunk down a human newspaper – thievery and magic respectively, probably – but the reason why was all too obvious.

"And you really think we have a case here?"

"I still say it's just dogs," Muta grunted. He leant back and dumped his hind paws onto the table between them, obscuring part of the article. "Some idiot's probably bred a nasty one and now it's gone feral. Is this really worth our time?"

"I think you're just scared, puddingbrain. It's exactly what I would expect from a fat cat like yourself."

"So I don't like dogs – sue me. Why don't we just let the humans deal with this, Baron?"

"I have a feeling that there may be more to this case than meets the eye."

"Right. Is that just a gut feeling or is it something with actual, you know, evidence? 'Cause I ain't dragging my butt out to some forsaken shrine to deal with a dumb dog."

"I guess you'd know all about gut feelings, fatso."

"Hey, I'm just saying. Intuition is great and all, but it gets us into as much trouble as it gets us out of."

Haru paused, and then leant back into the armchair. "You know, he's got a point."

Baron looked to her, and he appeared mildly hurt by her betrayal. "Miss Haru, are you doubting me also?"

Haru grinned back at him. "Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, are you trying to guilt-trip me into agreeing with you?"

"Ugh. Forget it," Muta moaned. "Alright, I'll go to this stupid shrine if it gets you two to shut up. Geez. And I used to complain you were cheesy before."

"Well, now that's settled–"

"Wait. You still haven't said what this might be," Haru interrupted. "I mean, just what do you think we're dealing with here? The last time we had animal attacks was nearly two years ago... It can't be the same thing again, can it?"

"I don't know," Baron said. "If this is merely a case of feral dogs–"

Muta scoffed. " _Merely_ ," he echoed sceptically.

"–then they are still causing a danger and it is the Bureau's responsibility to help in whatever way we can," Baron smoothly continued. "If there is something more... supernatural fuelling this case, then it is all the more reason for us to become involved. As for whether this is somehow linked to Doctor Moreau... I hope not."

"Isn't he, ya know, _dead_?" Muta pointed out unhelpfully.

"As always, fatso, you never fail to amaze."

"Well, at least I don't have a birdbrain–"

"When are you going to give up on that, you imbecile?"

"Yes, well, I am quite aware of Doctor Moreau's deceased state," Baron interceded. "This realisation has not passed me by. However, the rise of animal attacks is somewhat similar to the incidents we encountered in the case of Doctor Moreau–"

"We've had _one_ animal attack," Muta interrupted. "That ain't exactly a rise so much as a _blip_." He waved a paw in the air as visual aid to just how insignificant he perceived this 'blip' to be. "Or are we going to jump to attention every time someone's pet gets loose? 'Cause I'm not budging from this seat for every stupid wayward mongrel that decides to make its owner play runaround."

"Muta, five people have been attacked in the last week," Haru said. "Even if this is just a dangerous dog, surely we should do something to help."

"Hey, I already said I was coming. Just, if this turns out to be a wild goose chase then Baron owes me cake."

"I made a cake only last week," Haru said.

"Yep." Muta patted his stomach. "And it was great."

Haru groaned and pulled the newspaper towards her, tugging it out from beneath Muta's paws. "Right. I'll take the bus to get to this shrine – it shouldn't take more than twenty minutes – while I presume you guys will be flying?"

"Do I have to carry the lardball all that way?"

"Fine then," Muta said. He slouched back into the sofa smugly. "I guess I'll just stay here then."

"Muta, you know the buses allow cats," Haru prompted. "Don't think you're getting out of this that easily. You can come with me. Who knows? Perhaps even walking to the bus stop will do you some good."

"Who says I need the exercise?"

"Your poor stubby legs that are almost hidden under all that fat, that's who," Haru retorted flatly.

"I can still outrun you, Chicky."

"Oh, please. You outran me _once_."

"Ya wanna go again?"

"Bring it on."

Baron coughed politely from the sidelines. "And here I was, Miss Haru, hoping that you were above such petty rivalries. I see I stand corrected."

"Fine. We'll behave." Haru smirked at Muta. "I'll race you to the bus stop."

ooOoo

"Told you."

Muta gave her a begrudging glare and settle himself down on the bus seat. The bus was otherwise empty except for the two passengers. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not as young as I used to be."

"When you put it like that, you sound so old, Muta," Haru teased.

"Ageing gets the best of all of us, Chicky."

"Not everyone," Haru murmured.

Muta raised an eyebrow. "Who're ya thinking of? Baron? I don't think being a doll counts."

"Actually, I was thinking of my father."

"I guess your old man ain't so old, eh?"

"Very funny." She sighed and leant back into the bus seat, glancing out the window at the town speeding by. "It's still weird to think about sometimes."

"Yeah, but what can ya do about it?" He paused and then, when Haru failed to reply, added, "Look, Chicky, yer father made his choice long ago, and there's nothing you can do about it. Yer can't beat yourself up over this."

"I'm not. I just..." She glanced down to the fat cat by her side. "Do you ever wish you hadn't got involved with him and his magic?"

"Look, kid; I don't need you feeling sorry for me. I did plenty enough of that when it all started out."

"So you did regret it."

"Yeah, I did. Past tense, though. I don't need anyone to throw a pity-party for me. I got stuck as a cat; I dealt with it. Worse things have happened. For one, I'll never need to do taxes or anything like that ever again."

"I would never have pegged you for an optimist, Muta."

"Twenty years as a cat will do things to a person."

The bus trundled along its way, and their conversation lapsed back into silence, save for the tinny audio of the radio playing throughout the vehicle. As they came towards the edge of town, Haru mentioned something that had been playing on her mind.

"Baron's trying to find a way to turn human. Temporarily," she quickly added. "Did he tell you?"

Muta grunted, and Haru took this to mean he did.

"Have you ever thought that...? I don't know, maybe...?"

"About being human again?" He snorted. "Don't ya remember what happened last time I had a stint playing human? What part of that wasn't a disaster?"

"It wasn't all bad," Haru mumbled. "Anyway, who says that would happen again? Surely, if it was done under controlled conditions..."

"I'm not interested."

"But–"

"Baron already talked to me about it. I told him the same thing I told you. I'm fine being a cat. Anyway, what's left for me to go back to? The world's thought me dead or missing for the past twenty years."

"Didn't you have a family? Friends? There must be people out there who–"

"Didn't ya mother ever tell you it's rude to pry?"

Haru snapped her mouth shut, closing off the other questions she longed to ask. "I... Sorry. I just thought... Sorry." She couldn't believe that Muta could have simply disappeared without a single person raising questions. Somewhere, there would have to be someone who would remember Renaldo Moon, the young man who had vanished one day and never turned up again.

It wasn't really her place to ask questions, however.

"Anyway, I don't have any reason to be human, like Baron does."

"Baron doesn't really have a reason either," Haru noted.

The bus rumbled to a stop and Haru gathered her belongings, nodding to the driver as she and Muta filed out. The stop was stationed at the remains of an old graveyard and, further along the road, the entrance to the shrine.

"He has more of a reason than I do," Muta said.

"He says it's to help with cases, but he's been doing fine for the past fifty or so years–" Haru was a little hazy on Baron's timeline; the Creation had never been particularly forthcoming on his past "–so it seems... I don't know, sudden?"

Muta snorted and hurried along the pavement. "Chicky, if you think he's doing this just to make cases easier, then you don't know him at all. Do you really think that would be the only reason?"

"I'm not stupid, Muta," Haru retorted. She mumbled her next words. "I know how he feels about me."

"Could've fooled me."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying, you two have been dancing 'round this ever since you returned."

"It's... It's not as simple as you might think–"

"Let me guess... the boy?"

Haru scowled. "Michael. His name is Michael."

"Why can't ya just dump him? You like Baron. Baron likes you–"

"And I like Michael," she interceded. "I can't have them both–"

"Technically you could..."

"No thanks. Look, I made my decision – and I chose Michael."

"But why?"

Haru paused at the shrine gate, overrun and forgotten as it was with only a single komainu statue still standing. The only thing new to the scene was the marking of police tape, to signal the recent dog attacks that had taken place there. She ducked beneath the yellow tape and stepped onto the shrine grounds. "Because I like him," she repeated simply. "He's a nice guy, he makes me laugh, and, in the end, it's my decision. Are we _really_ going to have this conversation now? As I recall, you were the one worried about this rogue dog."

"Just thought we'd better have it while the others are away, that's all. So are you saying that you really do prefer the human kid over Baron?"

"It's not a case of _prefer_ ," Haru sighed. "I like them both, but in different ways. Talking of Baron, shouldn't he and Toto be here by now?"

"Don't change the subject, Chicky."

"No, I mean it. The bus might be quicker, but it still took a rather round-about route to get here. Toto flies as the crow – to use the phrase literally – so I would have thought... Never mind. Perhaps we can start to look around. Muta, what are you doing?"

"What d'ya think? Looking around, like ya said."

Haru hurried up the uneven steps which had long been worn away by the elements and, when the shrine was once in use, by the feet of its visitors. With disuse, moss and wayward plants had grown their way over the stairs leading up the hill to the main section of the shrine. Haru took her time to avoid slipping, and arrived at the top to see the fat cat disappearing into a side building.

"What have you found?"

She tried not to unhinge the ajar door upon entering.

"Just a well." Muta had his front paws on the rim of the well, and was sniffing at the air above the hole. "Seems like it's been dried out for years." He dropped back onto all fours. "Unless you count the rubbish that's piled up there. It smells like people have been dropping stuff down here for years."

Haru joined him and tried to peer down into the well's depths. After a metre or so, the darkness cut in to swathe the bottom in black. She fumbled for her phone and switched the torch option on.

"See anything?"

"Yes. Lots of monsters."

"Really?"

Haru snorted and switched the light off. "No. I can't even see the bottom – the light on my phone isn't that good."

"Do you think it's deep?"

"Hang on – we can check." Haru looked around and identified an empty beer can dumped nearby. She hoisted it up and dropped it into the well's depths. There was a second or so before it could be heard to rattle into glass bottles and beer cans already littering the bottom. "Not too deep," she concluded. "Just don't go jumping in. We have better things to do than dragging you out."

"Wasn't planning to."

She pocketed her phone and exited the building. She was pleased to see they had been joined by the rest of the Bureau; she was especially relieved that they had picked up the bag she had foolishly left back at the Bureau. "What took you guys so long? We were starting to wonder."

"We've been here ages," Muta complained as he stalked out behind Haru. "Obviously you're not as fast as you think you are, Birdbrain."

"I'm faster than you and that's all that matters." Toto smirked and hid his beak behind his wing for his next comment. "Although that's not much of an achievement."

"We decided to scout round the area," Baron said in response to Haru's original comment. "Also, we realised that you had forgotten this." He motioned to her bag. "We thought you might need it."

"You're a lifesaver, Baron."

"Whatcha even need it for, Chicky? It's not like we need much stuff for these kinds of cases."

"I always say it's better to be prepared," she replied. "First aid kit, water, torch... those sorts of things. Speaking of which..." She dropped a hand into the bag and fished out a heavy-duty torch. "Now we'll really be able to tell how deep that well is. Plus," she added, hefting the torch in her hand, "it makes for a good makeshift weapon."

"What well?"

Haru pointed behind her to the building. "The one in there. So, what's the plan? Split up and look for clues?"

"It would hasten the process of our search. Haru, you take Muta round these smaller buildings; Toto and I will scout out at the main shrine. Find us immediately if you come across anything even remotely suspicious."

"Don't worry; we will."

"You'll hear the screaming loud and clear," Muta added sarcastically.

"Muta."

"What?"

Haru rolled her eyes and slung her bag over one shoulder. "Meet up back here in ten minutes if we haven't found anything?" she offered. "Not that it'll take that long to search round but... I guess we better take our time."

"Agreed."

Now armed with the torch, Haru returned to the decrepit building and shed some literal light over the situation. The building was made up of a single room and the well was centred in a lowered portion before them. The interior had been only dimly light by the open doorway and the sprinkling of holes in the roof; now Haru could appreciate just how forgotten this off-the-beaten-track shrine was.

"Geez, this place is a dump."

"That's maybe not the word I would have used... but, yes," Haru weakly agreed. "This place could do with some looking after." She stepped down to the well and this time spotted that one raised side of the well was already on the verge of caving in on itself. She was careful to lean on the edge that looked most stable as she shone her torch down.

"Are we still clear on the no-monsters front?"

"As clear as a summer's day."

Muta gave her a disgruntled look and, now the possibility of danger was ruled out, raised his paws to the well's edge and looked into it. "Baron's rubbing off on you," he muttered. "Ugh, I'll say it again – this place really is a dump."

"It's a shame. I bet this place was beautiful when it was in use." Haru scowled at the rubbish that had accumulated over the years. The remains of the well's wooden cover littered the bottom in a selection of pieces, also joined by bottles, cans, and even the rusted remnants of a bike. She leant further over as something seemed to move in the depths. "Wait – did you see that?"

"No."

"I thought I saw... Hang on..." She lowered the bag and started to retrieve a rope.

"Really?"

"Are you saying that to the fact I have rope, or the fact that I'm about to climb down there?"

"Uh, both?"

Haru tied the rope's end to the wooden stairs leading down to the lowered portion of the room, tugging at it to reassure herself that it was secure. "Relax; I know what I'm doing. Anyway, there's only so many places we can explore in this shrine. The place looks pretty deserted to me."

"Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving," Muta muttered. He watched as Haru lowered the rope over the well's side and, with her backpack still slung over one shoulder, began to descend. "And just so you know," he added loudly, rushing to the well, "I still think this is a bad idea!"

"Any particular reason?"

"No. I just don't like it."

Haru paused in her decline. "Muta, no one blames you for being scared."

"Who said anything about being scared?" he said gruffly.

"It's okay to have something you're afraid of. If you want, you can go and join Baron and Toto, rather than being left alone up there." She continued to climb down.

"No fear. For starters, I'm not giving featherbutt a chance to mock me and, secondly, Baron would just spend the entire time worrying about you being on your own."

"Really, it's just a dried-up well," Haru murmured. "I don't see how Baron could possibly worry about that." Her feet found uneven ground and she dropped down onto the bottom. "See? Done."

"Is there anything there?"

Haru reclaimed the torch from the bag and started scouting the restricted space of the well, trying not to catch herself on the half-decayed bike. "Um... Not much. It's just like what we saw earlier – rubbish." She raised her free hand to her nose. "Except this time up close. Ugh, this place stinks."

"And that's surprising, _why_?"

"Thanks for the support," Haru muttered through her hand. She kicked at the cans, eventually finding what had caught her eye in the first place. "Great. I came down here for a broken mirror. Fantastic." She drawled the last word out even as she started to look back for the rope. She spared a glance up to see Muta suddenly drop away from the well's edge.

There was the recognisable hiss of Muta and then the growl of something much bigger.

"Muta? Hey!"

She heard Muta again, hissing sharply back at their visitor. For once, he had no snappy comebacks, no deadpan comments – there was only the hissing of one very scared cat.

And then there was a thud.

Haru stopped scrabbling for the rope and suddenly became very aware that she was trapped down a well with a very dangerous... _something_ prowling the building above. Muta was now silent and she could only hope it was the silence of unconsciousness... and not of anything more... _permanent_.

The light filtering down the well became draped in shadows as something peered down. Down towards Haru, who had still – stupidly, so stupidly – left her light on. It was too late to do anything about it now – it had seen her. All she could see was the silhouette of the creature's head, but it was easy enough to register the change in the creature's stance as it spotted her.

Well, diplomacy was always worth a shot.

"Uh... Hello? Nice, um... nice well you've got here..."

"In... Intruders..."

On a good note, it apparently could understand her. Bad note: It obviously had no interest in listening to what she had to say.

"No..." Haru said slowly. "Not as such. Just... you know... _visiting_. I guess you don't get many visitors around, do you?"

"Intruders... beware..."

"Oh drat."

"Intruders beware – intruders beware – intruders beware!"

Haru felt the thud as the creature drove its feet into the semi-collapsed well-edge, all while manically repeating that lone mantra. Its voice was raw – gravelly would have been a fitting word – and the frenzy occupied both its words and its actions. It slammed against the elevated side again, and this time a few rocks came loose.

"Wait – no – stop! Don't do this–" ' _Don't bury me. Please... don't bury me_.'

She dove for the rope – no matter what kind of creature it might be, she would take it any day over the alternative option – and tried to haul herself up. The rope creaked and lost a few inches. She dragged herself up another few feet, and this time there was a definite snap. The rope came tumbling down with the remains of the stairs it had originally been tied to – stairs that had been rotting away for years.

Haru collapsed back down and landed awkwardly amidst the rubbish. She tried to push herself up. Pain shot through her leg and she fell back again. This time she saw the broken bottle that had sliced into her lower leg.

"Baron? Muta? Toto? Is anyone out there?"

"Intruders beware!"

"Not you!" Haru retorted. She had to push herself against the well wall to avoid being rained upon by the stones unsettled by the creature's antics. She dragged the bicycle towards her and used it as a first line of defence against the onslaught.

It really did mean to bury her...

With the well beginning to fill up with dirt and stones, Haru was running out of options. If it wasn't for the broken bottle, she would have tried to keep above the layers of dirt raining on her, but her injured leg was having none of it.

She pulled the bicycle closer towards her and propped a little more of the well's debris against it to create a barrier of sorts. If she could give herself just enough breathing space, she might be able to wait the attack out...

If she didn't suffocate first.

"Baron! BARON! BA–"

Her breath caught in her throat and strangled off the words.

' _No. Not now. Please..._ '

Her breathing was coming faster now – but it felt like she wasn't breathing at all. She wasn't breathing enough. She couldn't fill her lungs enough to satiate the thirst for air. Instead she was left gasping, hyperventilating, as the panic set in. She couldn't move; she was paralysed and she couldn't even feel the steady trickle of blood running down her leg.

The barrier of the bike stayed in place even as the well began to fill in around it... leaving only a little breathing space for Haru. She barely registered it, save for the steady darkening of her surroundings. All she could feel was the thudding beat of her heart, and the rush of dusty air rocketing through her lungs. It wasn't enough. She couldn't breathe. It wasn't enough. She couldn't... She couldn't stop it. She couldn't call out anymore.

All the while, the air was slowly thinning in her ever-filling grave.

ooOoo

"And nothing in here either..."

Toto glanced round to his companion. "It looks like it's all clear. Perhaps we were mistaken."

"Maybe. But it's always better to be safe than sorry."

A scream rippled through the air. It was distorted, but there were two things Baron could be sure of. Firstly, that it was Haru' voice, and – secondly – it had the distinct ring of a cry for help. At that precise moment, Muta skidded into the room.

"Not. Dog," he wheezed. He waved a paw towards the door. "Lion-dog. Thing. Haru–"

That was all Baron needed. He leapt back onto Toto's back, and the two took to the air.

Muta watched them, still gasping for breath. "Right. Sure. I'll just... stick around..." He sat for a moment and tried to convince himself that it was all going to turn out fine. Another moment passed; he cussed under his breath and started a tired run after the rest of the Bureau. "I wonder what the acceptable retirement age is for this sort of mess. Some of us don't have the benefit of immortality!" he yelled after them.

Baron and Toto had already left the main shrine behind them and were well on their way to the well. Toto flew up and through one of the many holes in the roof, where they finally laid eyes on their target.

"Is that...?"

"Yes. It looks like one of the komainu guardians. It seems to be a Creation of sorts."

"What's it doing?"

"Digging, I believe," Baron answered. There were many things he didn't like about the culprit. For starters, it was large enough to be very dangerous. For another, even though the komainu statues had been around for years, this creature looked like it had been carved only yesterday, with claws and fangs now real and far too sharp for his liking. "Where's Haru?"

After a heavy pause, both Creations' eyes settled on the well which was steadily being filled by the creature's antics.

"No..."

"It can't have..."

Baron's grip on his cane tightened. "Toto, I need you to attract that monster's attention, while I free Miss Haru. She is our first priority."

"Roger that."

"If Muta catches up, get his help. This is more important than your little feud." He leapt from Toto's back and landed lightly on the ground, one hand gripping his hat.

"Hey! Rockhead! Have you looked in a mirror yet? Because you are u-gly!"

The komainu roared and went for the bird. Toto flew out of reach and escaped through the door. There was a crash as the creature followed after him, now intoning a rather intimidating "Intruders beware" mantra.

"Thank you, Toto," Baron murmured. He ran over to the side of the well, climbing up the side that had previously collapsed and was now in even more ruins thanks to the beast's doing. Another jump, and he landed on the layer of earth that now filled the well. "Haru! HARU! Can you hear me?!"

He dropped an ear to the ground and waited.

"No, no, no..." he whispered, unaware of the words slipping through. "No, please no. Not on my watch. Not when I could have protected her. No..."

But there – his ears picked up the barest whisper of a breath. He focused on that single sound, and now he became aware of a series of rapid gasps. Panicked and uncoordinated, but very much alive. He rummaged through his pockets and dragged out the spell he had discarded the week before. He had almost forgotten about it, and yet, here it was.

' _I don't need to be human. I just need to be able to save her_.'

He skirted his fingers over the sheet, activating the spell, and suddenly he was human-sized; cane, coat, and all. The spell – now tiny in his hands – was roughly pocketed and now he began to furiously dig.

"Just hold on, Haru. Please... just stay alive..."

His hands tore through the dirt, casting it all aside in pursuit of the buried brunette. In pursuit of his friend. His gloves began to become stained with dirt and blood as his hands caught against the bricks and rocks caught in the beast's chaotic digging, but with every handful of earth, he was getting closer.

His hands smacked into the wheel of an aged bike. He started to pull it away and found himself dragging a wall of stones and rubbish that had been piled up against it. The next thing he knew the hole had opened up into a hollow in the ground and – huddled against the edge – was Haru.

He dropped down into the hole and knelt beside the shivering women. She was curled tightly in on herself with only the sound of her shallow, but rapid breathing escaping from her still form.

"Haru..."

His hand only brushed her shoulder, but the effect was immediate. She snapped out of her ball and shoved herself further against the well's side. Tears, mixed with the dust, marred her cheeks in brown streaks. When she tried to talk, all that came was the gasping instead.

"Haru, you're safe now," Baron murmured. He slowly raised a hand to her shoulder, and this time she leaned into the contact. He could feel her shaking. After a moment's deliberation, he pulled her into his lap and let her drop her head onto his shoulder, his arms drawn tight around her. "I'm sorry. I should have been more careful. I don't know what I would have done if..." He shook the thought away and began searching through his pockets again. He located an old-fashioned pocket watch and clicked it open to reveal the ticking face inside. "Focus on that. Only that. Watch the time pass."

It took minutes, but eventually her breathing began to slow and the panic attack showed signs of subsiding.

"I... I'm sorry," Haru gasped. She hiccupped, and began to pull at her pockets for a tissue. A moment later, Baron produced a handkerchief. She sniffled into it. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I just... I just panicked and I... I've never had it that bad before..."

"You've never been buried alive before," Baron reminded her. He located another handkerchief and dabbed at the dirt-streaked tears across her face. "That would have sent many people even without a phobia panicking. You have nothing to be ashamed of." That done, he folded the handkerchief into his breast pocket.

"I hope I didn't endanger anyone–"

"Not at all. Toto should be more than a match for the komainu." Baron hoisted Haru into his arms, picking up her discarded bag and torch in the process, and started to climb back out of the hole. "In fact, you're the one who managed to find the beast."

"I think _it_ found _me_. Oh! Muta! I think the creature attacked him!"

"Do not worry. He is very much alive and complaining. But we shall check after this is all done." Now out of the well, Baron lowered Haru gently onto the now-broken steps. He smiled weakly as he released Haru from his hold. "This reminds me of old times."

Haru leant forward and retrieved the tear-stained handkerchief. "Not quite like old times," she said. "At least this time I know you won't leave me stranded on my school roof."

"Stranded?"

"It was six in the morning?" she idly reminded him. At the reassuring memories, a weak smile chased away the worst of the fear. "The school was completely locked up."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh."

"How did you...?"

"Very carefully."

"You didn't climb down from the outside, did you?" Baron asked, scandalised at the mere thought that his actions had led the young Haru to try something so reckless.

"What else was I meant to do? By the time I realised, you and the others had swooped off into the sunset." She paused, and brought out Baron's handkerchief to dab at the dried tears matting his fur. "I guess it could have been worse," she added quietly, a glimmer of humour breaking through. "At least you dropped me off at the right town. You could have chosen somewhere much more remote... a lake, a cliff-edge, the wrong country..."

"I'm insulted at the very thought that we leave you quite _that_ stranded."

"Stranger things have happened." She leant back to admire her work, frowning a little. "Baron... are these tears?"

"You ask only now?" he replied weakly.

"I thought it was just mud. Baron... is everything okay?"

"I thought you were dead. What part of 'okay' could that possibly entail?" he asked hoarsely. He leant towards her until their foreheads touched; his eyes were closed as he relived the memory. "I should have been more careful."

"Actually, I'm the one who's probably guilty of that mistake," Haru said. "It was stupid to climb down that well in the first place."

"You don't understand. If you had... If something had happened..." His voice gave way and Haru found she was suddenly staring into his startlingly green eyes. "Don't... Don't ever do something like that again."

"I can't promise I won't be in danger ever again," she said. She moved back, putting a little distance between them – in truth, being that close was making her dizzy – but curled a hand around his ruined glove. "I can't go through life wrapped in cotton wool... but, yes, I'll do my best not to die. Trust me; dying is the very last thing on my bucket list."

"You have a bucket list?"

"No, but I probably should put one together some day. Not all of us get to live forever, you know."

"Immortality is only worth the people you can spend it with." He smiled. "And for the time being, it's that little bit sweeter."

"Jeez, and I thought you were cheesy before." This was accompanied by a disbelieving snort from Muta, who was standing in the wreckage of the door. "When you've quite finished staring longingly into each others' eyes, perhaps you'll remember that the birdbrain is still flying circles around that monster?"

"Oh, the komainu!" Baron rose abruptly to his feet, coughing awkwardly at Muta's comment. Haru grinned at his obvious embarrassment. "Haru, please, stay here until we've dealt with it." He shrugged off his jacket and draped it around Haru's shoulders.

"It's okay; I'll just watch from here," she said, waving it away. "Anyway, I don't think my legs are capable of any orders more strenuous than 'sit'." She tugged at the jacket. "What's this?"

"It's a jacket; you may be familiar with it as a piece of outdoor clothing that generally serves as an outer layer designed to maintain warmth." He laughed when Haru gave him the deadpan look his teasing comment thoroughly deserved. "You'll still be in shock, Haru. You need to keep warm."

"Oh. Good to know."

"Baron..."

"Alright, I'm coming." The Creation glanced back to ensure that Haru was still okay, and then stepped out into the midday sunlight, dappled by the forest encroaching on the shrine's borders. And, in the middle of the shrine's courtyard, was the lion-dog hybrid, still being led on a wild goose chase by Toto.

"Eh, Baron... What are ya doing?"

He stalked past Muta and started to approach the creature, regardless of the fact it was twice his size and had paws as big as dinner plates. "Given recent developments, I am finding that I have _very_ little patience for this dog today." He continued to walk into the fray, the cane tapping irritably on the worn cobbled courtyard as he went.

The guardian saw the newcomer and, having somewhat tired of the futile chase, turned on the feline Creation.

"Baron, I really don't think–" Toto began.

"I know what I'm doing."

The komainu started into a dash towards Baron, jaws wide and claws curled. One bound. Two bound. Three bounds and it would surely tear apart the Creation. But Baron merely smiled with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"SIT, BOY!"

There was a scuffle of paws as, just about to take off onto its final bound, the half-dog skidded to a halt.

Haru, who was watching from the safety of the well building, could be heard to snort. "Oh, are you kidding me? That WORKED?!"

"I'm very glad it did," Baron muttered. He raised his head and tried to make eye contact with the large creature. "Well," he said, oozing every ounce of disapproval he could into that single word. The komainu's ears drooped. "I hope you're proud of yourself. Look at the mess you made. You are a very bad dog."

"What would he have done if the creature was more lion than dog?" Haru whispered to Muta, who had edged back towards the building.

"I dunno. Got a laser-pointer or something?"

"Yes, you should be ashamed of yourself," Baron continued. "Bad dog! Go to your room!"

"Baron, I don't think it has a room," Haru hissed. Regardless, the komainu seemed to translate the order into something understandable, because it guiltily started in the direction of the shrine gate. Haru pulled herself up so she could watch it step slowly down the stairs. "We really should follow it. Otherwise you might discover that you've just set a magical creature loose on Japan."

"I doubt it. I think I know where it is going. How are you feeling?" Baron returned to Haru's side.

"Calmer. I can probably walk, although I doubt very fast."

"There's an easy remedy to that." He lifted her up into his arms, earning a squeak of surprise and an onslaught of half-hearted protests. He paused and raised an eyebrow at the brunette. "Are you quite done, or would you rather stay here while we go and investigate the komainu without you?"

"Fine. But this better not become a habit."

"Of course not. I'm merely helping an injured young woman, like any respectful gentleman would. Now, if it's returned to where I think it has..." He started to carefully descend the steps leading back down to the roadside. "Aha."

"Aha? Aha what?" Haru shifted in his grip to see what had caught his attention, and her eyes fell upon the shrine gate. Now, where there had once been only a single remaining komainu guardian, there were two. Both of them stone, except one seemed far newer than the other. "Oh." She poked at Baron's arm. "We're here, now. You can put me down."

"What if it attacks again?" Baron offered.

"I'll take my chances."

He complied, setting her down on the bottom steps, seated right beneath the Torii gate.

"So now what do we do?" Toto asked. "We can't just let it carry on like this. Even if it's back to being stone now, it won't be forever."

"Also, it seems kind of weird that the Creation would start causing havoc only now," Haru pointed out. "What's changed?"

"I'm not sure, but I have a theory," Baron said. He approached the now-inanimate statue. "We try to keep tabs on all Creations in the locality, if not further out as well, but we have no records of anything like this in the area. It's... new..."

"How can that be?" Haru asked. "I mean, sure, it looks new, but it must have been around for... years... This place is... _old_..."

"Yes, but it only recently awoken as a Creation."

"That can happen?"

"Yes. There are things known as almost-Creations; these are things that were made by artisans who put their heart and soul into their creation, but it wasn't quite enough. As such, it can often take a little push, usually in the form of outside magic, to bring an almost-Creation to life."

"Okay, but where would the magic – oh..."

"Yes, Haru. Oh." Baron sighed. "I believe we now know what happened to the magic that was released from your friend. I suspect that the damage was done when it intermingled with my Creation magic, thus becoming attracted to almost-Creations, since Creation magic is generally drawn to potential vessels. As such, I wouldn't be surprised if there were quite a few Creations waking up for the first time currently."

"That may be," Toto said, "but what if the Creations start to attack people, like this one did? They're not all going to be roses and sunshine."

"Creations became shaped by the world around them and their artisans when they are first Created," Haru recalled. "Perhaps, if we can find the Creations when they wake up, we can help them."

"Okay. Okay," Muta interrupted. "So what do we do about this beastie? It's killed people!"

"We have, however, discovered that it does respond to commands," Baron said. "It may be possible to teach it some manners."

"So what? You gonna be its babysitter for the next fifty years?"

"The alternatives are to let it continue to run rampage until it is captured by the humans, or to destroy a new life," the feline Creation retorted. "I do not think I am capable of carrying out the latter, and the former would be purely irresponsible."

"So, dog-walking it is then," Haru said. "Just for the record, I've never had a pet, so I don't know the first thing about keeping a dog. Cat. Dog-lion... thing."

"You work in a pet store," Muta pointed out slowly.

"Sure, I know the theory, but I've never had to put it into _practice_."

"It's simple. First rule of dog-lion-thing-keeping: Don't get eaten."

"Thank you, Muta."

There was a long pause as the Bureau watched the sleeping Creation, trying to come to terms with what kind of new responsibility they had just accepted. Haru twiddled her toes awkwardly in the silence, tired and aching and – most annoyingly – rather muddy.

"Um... if that thing's not going to come alive any time soon, can I head back at least? I need a shower."

 **ooOoo**

 **Inspiration: To be honest, the inspiration was drawn upon from a wooden eagle-lectern that my church has. The original new Creation was the lectern, and Haru was going to be buried in a grave (yes, I'm morbid; deal with it). However, then I felt like that wouldn't take advantage of the Japanese setting or culture, so I did a little research and came up with this instead. Also that gave me the entertainment of the ending. (With some inspiration drawn from _InuYasha_ and _Doctor Who: The Empty Child_.)**

 **Also, sorry for the fact that this case probably felt like two very different incidences. I didn't expect the setting-up of the plot to take so long, and anything shorter just felt rushed. I hope this ending didn't feel too hasty; the main point of this case was to set up the story arc for the rest of the series, while also having a little fun.**

 **x**

 **Next story:** _ **The Living Gallery**_

 **Teaser:** _ **"An art gallery?" "Well, I was thinking it might be a nice change. You know, no running around, no crazy Bureau business and, hey, unlike the pet shop it's not going to smell of animal food or bird poop." / "You and the rose are unified," Toto read from the sign. "You must know the weight of your own life." / "So... what happens if all the petals fall?" "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." / "It's the Ladies," Garry said. "They come to life." / "Yeah, sure," Muta grunted. "Just follow the creepy instructions pasted over the walls. Can't see how that can go wrong."**_


	3. The Living Gallery (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

" _ **It's said that spirits dwell in objects into which people put their feelings. I've always thought that, if it's true, then the same must be true of artwork. So today, I shall immerse myself in work so as to impart my own spirit into my creations.**_ **"**

 **Weiss Guertena; Ib**

 **x**

 **Episode 3: The Living Gallery (Part 1)**

"Fetch the stick, boy! Fetch! Good boy. Who's a good boy?"

"I can't believe you're petting the thing that tried to bury you last week."

Haru stopped scratching behind the komainu's ears and looked back to Muta, who had somehow managed to scramble up onto one of the roofs of the shrine, where he liked to think he was far out of reach of the Creation. She scoffed. "You didn't need to come, you know."

"Baron thinks it's a good idea if there are always at least two of us when we visit the mongrel."

"Mm." Haru tugged the rather hefty branch out of the komainu's mouth and tapped it against the ground. The komainu watched the stick with preparation to pounce. "So, no luck on the new Creation front?"

"Nada."

"Couldn't Baron just... you know, use magic to locate the new Creations?"

"And how exactly would we do that? If he tried to locate new Creations, the spell would just get messed up with the proximity of his _own_ Creation magic. Nah, he just has to wait for news to crop up of stuff happening. Shouldn't be too hard. The magic _probably_ didn't go too far."

"Since when have you been an expert on magic?" Haru asked. The komainu leapt for the stick and Haru was quick in dropping the branch before it misjudged the distance. A week had passed but there were still times when it underestimated how large it was. Or how small its companions were. "You asked Baron the same thing, didn't you?"

"Have you finished entertaining the dog or are we going to stick around in this dump for much longer? Because I can't tell you how much I _love_ hanging around overgrown tips."

"You're such a grouch. Were you always like this or does being a cat come with a side order of sarcasm?"

"Why don't you take a trip back to the Cat Kingdom and test that theory out?"

"I'm starting to suspect you've always been this way." Haru whistled to the komainu – who had been chewing on the branch upon capturing it – and prompted it back in the direction of its base. The alarm over the attacks had died down, swept away by the next thing in the news, and it seemed like the shrine would disappear back into obscurity.

"We really should name it," Haru pondered.

"Name it? You don't want to name it. You name something, you're just gonna get attached to it and then you'll want to keep it..."

"We kind of are already keeping it," she pointed out. She scratched at the komainu's mane, earning a strange sort of dog-cat purr. "It's already starting to respond to 'boy' and 'dog'."

"Yeah. And?"

"Oh, never mind." Haru turned her full attention back to the creature, grinning as it nudged against her. "Right, time to sleep. Stay, you understand? Stay, and don't go anywhere until we come back."

The komainu rumbled its agreement – it seemed to prefer animal sounds over speech, and with its rough, gravelly voice, Haru couldn't blame it – and sat back on the statue base. There was a ripple of magic and suddenly it was not a creature of flesh and blood, but of stone. Haru patted it fondly on the muzzle.

"Good boy."

"Again, that thing tried to kill you."

"Yeah, but look at him now," Haru said. She started off along the road heading for the bus stop situated before the neighbouring graveyard. "He's nothing but a big softie." She grinned down at her companion. "Just like someone else I know."

"And this is what I get for offering to babysit you."

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around, _Buta_."

"Hasn't that gotten old yet, Chicky?"

"Says the cat that's been using 'birdbrain' for the past twenty years. Pot and kettle, much? Hang on, I think my phone's ringing."

"I haven't been using it for twenty years," Muta muttered.

"Uh-huh. Just give me a minute. Michael?"

" _Morning_." The voice of Haru's boyfriend greeted her cheerfully down the phone. " _I hope I haven't caught you at an inconvenient moment?_ "

"No, don't worry."

" _No... Bureau business then?_ "

"Just finished up now, actually."

" _What was it this time? Werewolves? Dragons? Dinosaurs?_ "

"Dinosaurs?" Haru echoed with a laugh. "I think you have the Bureau confused with someone who owns a Delores. No, it was just a bit of... petsitting."

" _Oh_."

"Do I detect a tone of disappointment? I wasn't aware you were so fond of the more dangerous Bureau cases."

" _No, I only expected something with a little bit more... pizzazz_ ," Michael settled on.

"If it helps, it's a living lion-dog statue."

" _Now, that sounds a lot more up your street._ "

Haru chuckled. "So, did you merely want to hear my lovely voice, or was there a reason for the call?"

" _Oh, your lovely voice is always reason enough._ "

"Smooth." Haru talked over the gagging sounds Muta was making. She wrinkled her nose at the cat as she took a seat at the bus stop. "Mature, Muta. Real mature."

" _But, yes, you've caught me_ ," Michael laughed. " _I was wondering whether you might be free this afternoon._ "

"Why, Mister Banner, are you asking me on a date?"

" _I believe that is what it's called. How do you feel about the new art gallery that's opened in town?"_

"An art gallery?"

" _Well, I was thinking it might be a nice change. You know, no running around, no crazy Bureau business and, hey, unlike the pet shop it's not going to smell of animal food or bird poop. So what do you think? If not, we could always see what's on at the theatre or the cinema–_ "

"No, no, a stroll through an art gallery sounds like just the thing. It's been a while since I last went to one. What's it called?"

" _The Guertena Art Gallery. I'm thinking around fourish_?"

"Sounds good. Alright, I will see you there, but it looks like the bus is coming so I'll have to catch you later, okay? Alright, bye."

ooOoo

"So how is the komainu fairing?"

Haru swung into the Bureau, dropping off her bag onto the sofa and going for the kettle. "Still friendly, alive, and nameless," she replied in response to Baron's question. "Talking of which, we really need to name it at some point. I don't suppose you have internet in here, do you?"

Muta made a beeline for the sofa, forcing Haru to snatch up her bag before he squashed it. "You've been here for how long, Chicky, and you still have to ask that question?"

"I'm ever hopeful," she said dryly. With the kettle starting to boil, she collected her phone and activated the roaming internet option on there instead. "Only the art gallery is new, so it's not going to be in any maps we have here... Baron, how do you think you spell Guertena?"

"Guertena? Like the artist?"

"Yes. Exactly like the artist. Assuming there's only one."

"G-U-E-R-T-E-N-A."

"Thanks." She started to Google the gallery's location, waiting patiently for the search engine to kick in.

"Why are you asking?"

"She's got a date with the kid," Muta grunted.

"Michael," Haru corrected.

"Hey, anyone younger than me's a kid. And when you get stuck with this lot," and the fat cat motioned vaguely to the Creations, "that's rare enough."

"Haru, did you say that Guertena has a new art gallery of his in town?" Toto asked, ignoring Muta, as he usually did when he wasn't teasing the feline.

"Not so many words, but, yes. Apparently. Why?"

"Weiss Guertena was an artist who has been known to have the potential to craft Creations." Baron answered. He glanced to Toto. "If a collection of his works have been amassed locally, then it might be worth investigating."

"You say that, but I've never heard of a painting coming to life," Haru pointed out. "I mean, if this Guertena's work is well-known enough to get a whole gallery put up of his work, surely people would have, you know, noticed that they're alive. Or something."

"Guertena appeared to have found a way to suppress the life of a Creation," said Baron. "His art appears other-worldly, almost alive to the viewer, in a way that is quite unlike any other. I do not pretend to understand it, nor do I know how he managed to make Creations and then send them into a dormant state, but it is evident from his artwork that there is Creation magic involved."

"And if we have spare Creation magic floating around," Haru continued, "then you're thinking that that dormant state might be broken? There might be a whole gallery filled with–"

"I doubt there will be enough magic for the whole gallery to be active," Baron reassured. "Only a few pieces that are perhaps less dormant than others. Regardless, it would be foolish to overlook such a situation." He rummaged through the drawers of his desk and pulled out a rather dull-looking stone.

"And... what's that?"

"Lapis lazuli."

"I'm not much of an expert on stones, but isn't it, I don't know, meant to be blue?"

Baron gave a feline grin and moved over to show her the rock. Digging the tips of his gloves into a crack, he peeled it open to reveal a sea of glittering stones hidden away inside. "This particular vein of lapis lazuli can capture the magic of Creations. If we discover a Creation that is a danger we cannot control, this gives us a non-destructive method of stopping them."

Haru gently took the stone from him and admired its depths. "Well, at least we'll be prepared." She glanced back to him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. "I know... this isn't usually your style. Usually you prefer methods less... final."

"Newly-awakened Creations can be dangerous, Haru." Baron retrieved the rock and closed it back together. "Our first priority must be the safety of those around us; you were lucky last week, but there's no guarantee you'll be again."

Haru grimaced. "Thanks for the reminder. So. Plan?"

"It's been far too long since we visited an art gallery. It's about time we amended that grievous oversight."

ooOoo

From the depths of Haru's bag, Baron watched as the brunette glanced down at her phone for the third time in the last five minutes. Sensing they were in an emptier part of the gallery, he risked a whisper.

"Haru, why are you periodically checking your phone?"

She blushed and tucked the mobile back into her jacket pocket. "Sorry. I have a date with Michael here in a few hours... I'm just wondering whether it'd be wiser to cancel." She smiled weakly at the passenger in her bag. "Are you okay in there?"

"Quite comfy, thank you."

"Do you sense anything?"

Baron shifted to see the artwork Haru was standing at. Across the centre of the room, a collection of headless mannequins stood motionless. The trio of statues varied in colour, but all had the same, eerie disposition to them. "No."

"Thank goodness. They're kind of creepy."

"Agreed."

"Moving on?"

"Swiftly."

Haru continued along the gallery, pausing at the displays to see if any of the stray magic had found its way here. Some pieces were quite simple – a painting of a red lady – and others interesting – such as the display that seemed to be made of rainbow candy – while others were simply disturbing. Haru stood before one of the third persuasion, trying not to grimace. A sculpture of a tall, blue lady slumped where it sat, its skirts pooling on the floor as if it were melting.

"Anything?"

"No."

"Just what I wanted to hear." She headed into the next section to where a long, landscape painting swirled with fantastical, nonsensical colours. "You know, it's a shame Muta and Toto couldn't come," she said. "I guess we couldn't sneak everyone in. All the same, I would have loved to hear their thoughts on this place."

There was a thud from an air vent above and Haru was suddenly greeted with something akin to a sandbag slamming down onto her.

"Nice going, fatso. With a little more aim, you could kill someone with that move."

"Some of us weren't born with wings, chicken-breath."

Haru groaned and peeled her face off the floor enough to see the wad of white fur pinning her down. "And I had to go and open my big mouth. What are you doing, guys?"

"Did ya think we'd let you have all the fun?"

"You know they don't allow animals into galleries. Now, if you don't mind, please, _get off me_."

"Eh. Sorry."

There was a short scrabble as the Bureau untangled itself and returned back to their respective feet, paws, and claws. Haru rubbed her back ruefully, pointedly staring at Muta, and then remembered the figurine in her bag.

"Ah, shoot! Baron?!"

A hand rose out of the hand, easing its way between the tumble of mess that had become unseated at Haru's sudden fall. "For the record," a muffled voice managed, "I'm fine. Can someone de-glove me, please?"

Muttering apologies, Haru rummaged through the bag to find that Baron had, indeed, become somewhat caught up in a woollen, left-handed glove. She tried – and failed – to resist a snicker as she freed him from its entanglements. "Need a hand?"

Baron brushed down his suit, picking off the loose strands that had come free from the glove. "Very funny, Haru." He pulled himself up and leant out of the bag to get a better view of their surroundings. Somehow, the arrival of the rest of the Bureau had gone unnoticed, and their corner of the gallery was still very much empty. "Well, now that you two are here, you might as well stay, as long as you can avoid attracting attention."

"They're a cat and a crow," Haru unhelpfully pointed out. "How exactly are they going to do that?"

"Point made."

"Yeah, but I don't think I can climb back up there," Muta grunted, nodding to the air duct they had broken through upon entry.

"You should have thought of that earlier," Haru muttered. She approached the painting stretching the hallway, jumping a little when Toto landed on her shoulder. " _Fabricated World_ ," she read aloud. She looked back up to the painting. The colours were bizarre, except for the references to Guertena's other artworks dotted about within. It was... quite mesmerising... Her fingers brushed against the frame absent-mindedly.

"Haru..."

"What?"

The lights of the gallery flickered and the tinny music that had been floating through, died. The silence that replaced it seemed... heavy somehow. Eventually the lights settled on a dim glow.

"Powercut?" she whispered. "Faulty generator or something?"

"Whatever it is, at least the lights are holding out for now," Muta said.

"I'm not sure," said Baron. "But that painting was definitely giving off Creation magic before. And, now..."

"There's magic all across the gallery," Toto finished.

"Not good?" Haru asked.

"Bit not good. Hey, fatso! What are you doing?"

Haru turned to see Muta scurrying along the corridor to the next section of the gallery. "You'll be spotted," she hissed.

"No, I won't."

"What makes you so sure?"

"That's easy." Muta sat down at the corner of the corridor and pointed a padded paw along the gallery. "Because there's no one here."

The rest quickly followed and confirmed that, indeed, it was now deserted. "Maybe... they all moved to another part?" Haru weakly suggested. "Maybe there was an announcement we missed... or something?" She doubted it, though. They were never that lucky.

"Nah, Chicky. This corridor's been deserted for a while now. Almost. I can smell it."

"Almost?" she echoed.

"A couple of people have passed through here, but that's about it. It doesn't smell like a busy place."

"Maybe they'll know what's going on," Haru suggested.

"Or they're part of all this."

"You always know exactly what to say, Muta."

"Haru, can you set me down?" Baron asked. "It might be better if I fly with Toto for now."

"Sure thing."

"We should probably continue our exploration of the gallery and discern whether things have changed with the sudden shift in Creation magic," he continued. He leapt onto Toto's back and the two took to the air. "Although, this time around, perhaps we should stay together. Who knows what we're going to find here."

"More empty corridors?" Muta offered. He trotted across the hallway and glanced down the stairs leading back to the gallery's reception. "Hey, Chicky. Whatcha looking at?"

"The windows... It was early afternoon when we arrived," she said. She tapped against the glass. "Now look at it. It's pitch black out there. Is it possible that we've skipped time or something?"

"Doubtful," Baron answered. "If it was merely night, one would expect to be able to see the street lights from here. Which makes it all the more strange."

As the rest of the Bureau started down the stairway, Haru lingered. She leant against the window, straining to see something other than the darkness. Then something did flicker and she found herself jumping back with nerves. She laughed a moment later.

Just her own reflection. She turned away.

"Haru, please don't linger."

"I know, I know."

There was a bang behind her.

She leapt around and now, where there had been only blackness before, there was the smudge of a handprint on the other side of the glass.

"What the–"

"Haru! Are you coming?"

Haru narrowed her eyes at the window, but now it all seemed still. She slowly stepped away before eventually turning around to follow after the rest of the Bureau. "Baron, this place is giving me the jitters. Something just slammed a hand against that window back there."

"Did you see what it was?"

"No." Haru rubbed at the back of her neck, trying to smooth away the nerves. "To be perfectly honest, it kind of feels like we're just being messed with. Let's get going."

The reception area was as empty as the upper gallery, made eerier yet by the flickering lights. Haru tried the front doors, only to be greeted with the rattle of a stubborn lock.

"We could break a window or something," Muta offered.

"Then where would that get us?" Toto scoffed. "We have to find the new Creation."

"Before it finds anyone else," Baron added. "Let's try the next room. Haru, if you wouldn't mind trying these doors..."

"Sure thing." She left the gallery's exit behind her and tried the ones Baron was motioning to instead. They came open with a willing click, to reveal a long, blue corridor pockmarked with letters dotted along the walls.

The Bureau stood silently at the threshold.

"What is this place?" Haru eventually managed.

"What's the matter?" Muta asked. "Didn't ya come through here earlier or something?"

"We did," Baron said. "But these doors led through into quite a different area before. This... This is new."

Haru stepped through and started to examine the letters decorating the walls. " _Come_ ," she read aloud. "Just... over and over." She glanced back to the others. "Should we do as it says?"

"Yeah, sure," Muta grunted. "Just follow the creepy instructions pasted over the walls. Can't see how that can go wrong."

"Do you have any better ideas?" she asked flatly.

"Yeah. Skedaddle."

"Uh-huh." Emboldened by the fact that nothing much had happened upon entering the corridor, Haru began to continue along, doing her best to ignore the wonky letters littering the walls beside her. "Hey, Baron! There's a door here. Looks like it might lead somewhere if we move this table out of the way."

Toto flew over to Haru, alighting on her shoulder. Baron stepped off and took a seat on her other shoulder. "It doesn't look too heavy," he gauged. "You should be able to shift it without too much trouble."

"It's easy to say that when you're not the one doing the work." All the same, Haru leant her weight against the low table and easily budged it along. She misjudged the adjacent wall and the table jolted into it, unsettling the vase of roses atop it.

Instinctively she reached out to catch it, snatching up the vase in one hand and a single escaped rose in the other. She exhaled slowly and returned the vase to the table. "That was close." She raised the rose up to her face for inspection. There were two roses in total – the one she'd caught was a gentle lavender, while the other still in the vase was a vibrant orange. "Unusual colours, huh?"

"Chicky, don't turn around now, but I think ya'd better put it back."

"Why – oh–"

Where the word " _Come_ " had once been spelt, now " _Thief_ " covered the walls in menacing repetition. Haru backed away, and the letters appeared from her footprints. "Oh, come _on_. It was an accident! Look," she said, "I'm putting it back. Right where I found... it..." She turned around, but now the table had vanished, to be replaced with a sign pinned to the wall. "Oh, COME ON! Doesn't this place have any consistency?" she demanded. "It's like being in a dream!"

" _You and the rose are unified_ ," Toto read from the sign. " _You must know the weight of your own life_."

"'Cause that ain't threatening in the least," Muta said.

"There's more," Baron added. " _When the rose rots, so too will you rot away_."

"I don't like this," Haru murmured. "Now what do I do?"

"If the flower's linked to ya life, Chicky, then I suggest you keep good hold of it."

"He may be right," Baron said. "Better for you to protect it, lest it falls into the hands of someone less vigilant."

Haru tucked it carefully into her bag and could be heard to mutter, "Why is it always me?"

"'Cause yer stick yer nose in other people's business."

"Firstly, it was a rhetorical question," Haru retorted, pushing the door open and stepping through into another, equally-blue room, "and, secondly, I thought that was more Baron's department."

"What can I say, Chicky? He must be rubbing off on you."

"Why do you make that sound like an insult?" Baron asked.

"Have you _seen_ the trouble you get into? I could be a nicely retired cat at this point, but instead I'm stuck here creeping around haunted galleries."

"In all fairness," Haru pointed out, "you were the one who decided to come." She rubbed at the back of her head subconsciously. "We told you two to wait outside."

"Haru – wait!"

At Baron's curt command, Haru halted. "What?"

The Creation on her shoulder pointed down to a plaque on the floor. Muta waddled over to it.

" _Beware the edges,_ " he read. He narrowed his eyes at the thin corridor before them. "Edge of what?"

"At a guess, I would say the walls," Baron offered.

"It's kind of nice for them to give us warning," Haru said. She shuffled forward along the corridor, being wary to follow the vague instructions. "I wonder what's so bad about the walls..."

A moment later, a silhouetted hand shot out from the wallpaper and grasped about in the empty air. Haru screeched and jumped back. She knocked against the wall on the other side and another hungry hand reached out. There was a scream as she leapt again back to the middle, and only afterwards did she realise it had been her. She ran along the rest of the corridor until she came to the end, where it widened out to reveal another door.

Here she collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath. It seemed the hands were only located along the narrower stretch of the passageway. Thankfully. Here there was only a door, accompanied by another vase. She dropped to her knees to examine the damage.

Baron slipped down to the floor, a little unsteady after the sudden buckaroo ride. "What happened? Did it get you?"

"Just scratched, I think." She pulled her torn sleeve up to reveal a fresh assortment of bloodied scars running across her arm. "And I liked that shirt," she said reproachfully.

"Should've kept away from the walls, Chicky."

"Wow, I didn't think of that, Muta. _Thank you_."

"No need to get sarcastic, kid."

"Pot and kettle," she retorted. She dropped her bag to one side and started to rummage through it for the first aid kit, bringing out the rose in the process. And, as she finally located the bandages, a single purple petal came with it.

Baron picked it up as Haru began to bind the scars. Then he examined the rose, his eyes flickering between it, the fallen petal, and the vase on the table. "Don't... cover your wounds just yet," he said slowly. "I have an idea. Could you possibly lift me to that table?"

Haru gave him her particular brand of 'look' that she reserved for his ideas, and then wound the bandage tight, tying it into place for now. "Let me at least stop myself from bleeding everywhere first." She offered her hand to him and, once he had stepped up onto it, raised it to the table beside her. "So what's this... plan?"

"It's like you observed before. This place runs on rules much like a dream – random, but logical in its own way."

"That's not exactly what I said."

"And so, perhaps we may find that this vase performs a service of sorts," he finished, ignoring Haru's comment. He dropped the rose into the vase and, upon the moment its stem met the water, its purple petals gave off an eerie glow. When the light subsided, the gap where the fallen petal had been was now filled.

Baron turned to Haru with a smug grin of feline proportions. "See?"

"Yeah, yeah," Muta said. "So it goes glowy and grows back. So what?"

"Haru, would you show us the injury you sustained from the hands?"

She glanced to the rest of the Bureau, shrugged, and untied the hastily-knotted bandage. As it came loose, it slipped away to reveal an unmarred arm. Her eyebrows raised and she flexed her fingers as if expecting the scratch to ease back into place. "Okay. Colour me impressed."

"I believe the plaque was being very literal in its warning. That petal," and here he motioned to the petal beside the first aid kit, "fell, I suspect, when you were attacked. The more wounds you accumulate, the fewer petals will remain on the rose."

A pregnant pause followed Baron's announcement. Muta was the first to break it.

"So... what happens if all the petals fall?"

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

Haru paled. "Fantastic. I always feel so much better after these little talks. Can we move on?" She withdrew the rose back from Baron and moved back to her feet.

The next doorway led through into a large, spacey red room that was divided up by a maze of thin wall partitions. Along the edges were repetitions of the same painting – all of a lady that Haru recalled was originally red back in the art gallery. Now, however, they were an assortment of colours. They gave her the creeps. She shivered and started along the edge of the room. "Let's just get going."

"Those statues are kinda creepy too," Muta muttered.

"What statues?" Haru paused and looked along one of the partitions. The partitions ran parallel across the room and at the end of them were the headless mannequin dolls that Haru also remembered from the original gallery. Only now there were plenty more. All thankfully still and silent.

For now.

There was a crash across the room, but no apparent cause. Then again, most of the room was blocked off by the partitions. The group hurried on.

They passed by more portraits of the lady – all the same lady but simply varied in colour – until they came to another door. Haru tried it.

"Locked."

"Well, there will probably be a key about somewhere. I believe there is a door further along?"

There were two more doors, in fact. Muta nudged the one closest and it swung inward. The only thing present was another vase, but it was not empty. A bright orange rose, identical to the one that had been Haru's rose's companion, occupied it.

The door swung silently behind them as they approached the singular object of note.

"Do... Do you think I can return my rose?" Haru asked. "If I put it back, will the connection be broken?"

"You could try," Toto offered.

She removed the blossom from her bag and gently returned it to the vase. It glowed gently – although it had no petals to rejuvenate – but otherwise there was no grand response. No signs on the floor like last time or abrupt messages.

"So... feel any different, Chicky?"

"... Not really. How do we test this?"

"There's one easy way." Muta pushed himself onto his back paws and tugged a single petal off between his teeth.

A searing burst of pain shot through Haru, and she felt the wound from earlier opening again. Small tears pricked at her eyes from the shock of the brief, but sharp, sting. "You could have warned me," she growled. She snatched the rose out of the vase, now _sans_ one petal. The water in the vase had disappeared upon her originally soaking the rose, so she couldn't easily heal it.

"Haru, do you still hurt?"

"No, Baron. It was just a twinge." She glowered at Muta. "I just wasn't expecting it." She drew the bandages out of her bag again and started to bind it with the ease of much practice.

"Hey, you said you needed to test it."

"You can make your own angel food cake in future."

Muta moaned at the injustice, while Toto cackled and landed on the table. "All the same, Haru; that was just one petal. If one petal can do that..."

"Then I really don't want to damage it any more, I know." Haru glanced down at the orange rose, still untouched. "Why is the other one there though? It's almost like it wants to be picked..."

"Why don't ya? Then you'll have twice the petals to lose."

"You're really not being helpful, Muta. Anyway, I don't feel... like it's meant for me. I can't explain it." She tied off the bandages and fingered the lavender rose gently. "It's like... this one called to me."

Muta gave a very forced cough. "Crazy."

"But not stupid," she huffed. "Or deaf. Stop that." She nudged the fat feline with her toe pointedly, before turning to the other cat. "Baron, what's your thoughts on this?"

The Creation was eyeing the rose. He had been unusually silent throughout the exchange. "I think it would be wisest for all involved if it was left untouched. Matters are quite complicated enough without another rose on the scene."

There was a scream from the main room beyond. The Bureau jumped and went running back out.

"What was that about complications?" Haru laughed.

They skidded back out into the main room, but there was no clear sign of the disruption. That was, until the third door – the door they had yet to try – opened and a trio of individuals sped out and knocked into the Bureau. Haru found herself thudding to the ground, with a twin bump as one of the newcomers made a similar fall.

She groaned and pushed herself back up. Her hands and elbows had taken the brute of the fall and she could feel the bruises already colouring. "Why me? Why is it _always_ me?"

"It's 'cause you're the largest," Muta muttered.

"That makes no sense."

"There's more of you to run into. Now, _get off_."

Haru looked at the cat caught up under her legs. "Oh, I'm _sorry_. Did I fall on you? I can't _imagine_ what that must feel like."

"Very funny."

"Call it karma," she laughed, but she released the trapped feline. He scooted away and now Haru looked to the newcomers.

One was a young man, in his late teens or early twenties, and the other two were young girls of about nine years of age. Where one girl – a brunette – was dressed in a red and white school uniform, the other possessed a mane of blonde locks and a forest green smock. The man was the one who had screamed, and he seemed no calmer as he scrabbled away from the strangers. In his defence, the Bureau _were_ a strange lot.

The two little girls, in comparison, seemed unfazed by the events before them. But then, they had probably encountered far stranger during their time in this living gallery. Haru dusted herself off and then shifted to a kneeling position, extending a hand to the girl nearer to her – the brunette in this case. "Hello there. I'm Haru. And this is Baron, Toto, and Muta." She pointed to each in turn. "What's your names?"

The girl blinked, and several dubious seconds ticked by. The blonde to her side skipped forward with a bubbly grin and dropped her tiny hand in Haru's. "I'm Mary," she said with a laugh. "And this is Ib."

Muta snorted. "Is that a real name?"

"Muta!" Haru gave a decidedly harsher nudge to the fat cat than before. "It's a very pretty name. Both of them. And what about your… other friend?" Brother? Friend? Relation? What were they even doing here?

The young man had finally composed himself, dusting down his bedraggled, slightly over-dramatic coat with an overall air of sheepishness. "Garry," he said. "Are you lost in this gallery too?"

"Just a bit." Haru spotted that Ib was clutching a red rose in her hand, and gave a sudden squeak of excitement. "You have one too!" She gestured to the flower, while trying to retrieve her own in the same moment. She almost dropped her bag in the process. "Does it drop petals when you get hurt as well?"

There was a pause from the other three, and Garry brought out a rose of his own. "And wounds appear when the petals are lost." His eyes travelled over the rest of the Bureau. "And... who are they?"

Abruptly, Haru realised that, to a stranger's eyes, Baron was not too unlike the animated artworks that attacked without discrimination. "He's a Creation," she interceded. "A little like the living paintings, but... different. And so is Toto. They're all friendly. It's okay." She really wasn't doing her best explanations here. Perhaps she should have left it to Baron.

There was another crash, and Garry jumped more than any of them. Ib shuffled closer to the young man.

"Anyone know what that is?" Haru asked.

"I'll bet next week's cake that it files under 'not good'."

"I said I wasn't making you any cake," she scowled. She noticed that the newcomers – or Garry, to be precise – was staring at Muta. "I know he talks – it's fine. It's getting him to shut up that's the trick. So... any clue as to what made that sound?"

"It's the Ladies," Garry said. "They come to life."

"And by the Ladies, you mean the portrait of the woman that is repeated all across this room?" Toto asked. " _Those_ Ladies?"

There was another crash and now they could hear the sound of a painting frame being dragged across the floor. Multiple frames, in fact. All heading their way.

"We could just hide in the room back there," Muta whispered.

"It's a dead end," Haru reminded him curtly. "What about you, Garry? How did that room back there look?"

"Another dead end, but it might be better than waiting out here to get caught–"

"And then what?" Baron asked. "The Ladies will simply block us in and then we will truly be out of options. There was a third door back there – locked, but perhaps it will yield a more permanent solution. Does anyone have a key?"

"Like this?" Ib piped. Her voice was soft, however it didn't seem to be because of nerves or shyness, but simply because she was naturally soft-spoken. She brought a bright red key out of her pocket.

"That fell when one of the Red Ladies came after us," Garry said.

"Well, hurry up and try the door, kiddo! I don't want to be snacks for any hungry paintings."

The enlarged group dashed back to where the first door had been, but now it was open. Without too much time for asking questions, they fled in and slammed the door behind them. Another door stood across the room, but for now they came to a halt.

"Let's just... catch our breath for now," Garry gasped. "Who knows what might be in the next room."

"Agreed. At least it seems that the doors will keep our attackers out," Baron said.

"But what about the windows?" Ib asked, and she pointed to the two windows that looked out to the main room they had just escaped from.

There was a long, long pause.

"Can they come through the windows?" Haru whispered.

There was a loud thud from one window.

"It looks like that's about to be answered, Chicky."

"Then I suggest, Miss Ib, that we use that key at your disposal to move on," Baron said. There was another thud, and Haru saw the shadow on the other side throw itself against the glass. "Quickly."

The little girl nodded and went for the door. At the same moment, one of the Ladies succeeded and the glass came smashing in.

It was indeed a Red Lady, but she had been transformed from the serene painting she had been back at the original gallery. Now she was torn free from the canvas – or, at least, her upper half was – and she dragged herself forward, hauling her frame behind her. She was beyond any form of human language, denoted to only the most basic of animalistic growls.

If they had somewhere to run to, the slow onslaught would have been laughable. But, as things stood, they were blocked in an enclosed space with a snarling, clawing creature coming for them. And, if she was a Creation like Baron or Toto were, then she would only tire long after they did.

Haru stood before Mary and heaved a bookcase over, sending it toppling almost over the woman. The Red Lady pushed herself back just in time and continued her relentless advancement. "Ib, how is that door coming?"

"It's jammed!"

There was another crash and a Green Lady landed through the remaining window. She was built much like the Red Lady, only with a change of paint. Garry followed after Haru's cue, and started to pull on the nearest bookcase. "It's okay, Ib! You can do it."

There was a click and Ib gave a cry of relief.

"Good job!" Haru threw one last book at the Green Lady and turned to run, only for the Red Lady to get a swipe in at her ankle. She gave a yelp and delivered a nasty kick in retaliation. She was the last to run through the door, which Muta and Toto slammed the moment she passed.

The corridor before them was long and empty and – thankfully – silent.

The group came to a complete halt, all in various states of after-panic. Toto and Muta were almost too shaken to bicker, while Baron tried to rein in their argument, and across the corridor Garry was kneeling down beside a shaken Ib.

Haru joined the latter two, and saw that the little girl was no longer so steady on her feet. She had seemed so quietly able during their short interactions – she had shown so little fear in the face of meeting them – that Haru only now remembered how young their charge was. "Is everything okay?"

She arrived just in time to see Ib faint.

ooOoo

It was a subdued group that gathered in the following room.

Here, the wallpaper had shifted from its blood-red shade to a purple instead, and only a single painting hung over one such wall. A still-unconscious Ib was wrapped in the protective folds of Garry's coat, while the owner himself sat across the other side of the room. Mary sat beside the still form of her friend, worriedly waiting for her to wake.

Haru approached Garry and crouched down before him, with the Bureau following at her heels. She collected a bottle of water from her bag and offered it to him. "Have some. You're probably going to need it."

He smiled weakly and took the drink. "Thank you."

"So, now might be a good time to ask how you ended up here with two kids on your tail," she prompted gently. "Did you know either of them before this all started?"

Garry paused in drinking to shake his head. He recapped the bottle, but didn't return it to her. "Ib was the first one I found – or, rather, she found me in this place. One of the Ladies had taken my rose, and Ib was the one to rejuvenate and return it to me. We came across Mary later in our pursuit for an exit, and decided that our best chance of escape lay in banding together. The more the merrier, after all!" He gave a tired smile, and Haru wondered how long he had been maintaining a positive façade for the two girls.

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

Garry frowned. "It's... It's hard to say. Sometimes it feels like barely any time has passed at all, and at others we could have been here weeks..."

"In places where there is an overabundance of magic, such as this place, time often becomes difficult to discern," Baron said. "I doubt, however, that it has been weeks, since the art gallery had only recently opened when we became trapped, but our main priority should be locating an exit for now. Mr Garry, may we take a closer look at your rose?"

"It's just Garry." The young brought forth the flower he had kept in hand after using his coat to bundle up the unconscious Ib. The blossom was a bright, beautiful blue. "And... considering what happened last time I lost this rose, I hope you won't begrudge me if I keep it for now."

"I understand."

"It's blue," Haru said. She reached out to prod its petals, and then remembered the situation when Garry moved it away. "Sorry. It's just... I don't think I've ever seen a _blue_ rose before."

"They do not naturally exist," Baron said. "However, mankind has attempted for many years to attain such colouration through dyeing and genetic manipulation. And, all this in consideration, it is not as though our current location is particularly hindered by reality."

Muta snorted and joined them. "Gee, what tipped ya, Baron? Was it perhaps the monster ladies or the funky roses that gave the game away?"

"So you've got that blue rose," Haru remarked, ignoring Muta's less-than-helpful comments, "and Ib has her red rose, and I have mine... so who does the orange one belong to? Wait, does Mary have a rose too?"

"She possesses a yellow rose," Garry said. And then, a moment later, he echoed with, "The orange one?"

"Yeah. When I took mine, there was an orange rose with it. So... does that mean there's another person here? I don't know about you, but when I took mine, I... I just knew it was for me. Even if it was mostly accidental," she muttered. "So the orange rose is probably for a certain person, right?"

"Maybe," Baron said.

"Hey! Ib's waking up!" Mary cried.

"At last," Garry muttered. He rose back to his feet and joined the tiny brunette's side. "Rise and shine, Ib. How do you feel?"

The child was clutching at the coat that had served as a blanket as she stared a little too anxiously at the crowd about her. "I had a nightmare," she murmured.

Garry's brow creased. "Oh... I see. You poor thing... I can't say I'm surprised... Being exposed to such frightful sights... you know? Perhaps I should have woken you. I'm sorry... I didn't even notice."

Ib was silent. It seemed to be her natural state. Luckily, Mary seemed to be more than able to fill the silence. "Hey, Ib, I'm sure you'll be fine! We're going to get out of here together, after all!"

Garry offered the bottle of water that Haru had lent him. "Here. Don't worry... We don't need to go just yet. Let's rest here a while longer before we set out again." He grinned down at the little girl when she finished with the water. "Ib, would you look in the pocket of that coat?"

She rummaged in the aforementioned pocket and brought out a yellow sweet.

"You can have that," Garry said. "Feel free to eat it." For a moment, his façade faltered, but it was back up and beaming a moment later. "I may not be the most reliable person for such a situation... But if you find yourself thinking, "I can't take it anymore!" just tell me, okay? If need be, I'll try to carry you on my shoulder."

Ib considered this, and then gave a swift nod.

"Great! When you're ready to get moving, just say so."

The lights in the room flickered and then went entirely. The gathering of Bureau and lost humans was dropped into absolute darkness and there was a scattering bout of exclamations.

"It's alright," Baron was saying. "I can summon my magic–"

"I have my lighter," Garry said at the same time. He was quicker in bringing forth a light, banishing the darkness with the small flame of the lighter. Mary gave a squeak of surprise as the open flame flickered into life. "That's better..."

"Turn it off!" Mary ordered. "Turn it off!"

"Maybe ya should listen to her," Muta said slowly. "I don't think this place likes fire."

Across the room, freshly-scrawled writing was scattered along the walls and floors of the otherwise quiet room. "NO" encompassed one wall, while "DON'T KILL ME" swallowed the floor entirely. Haru slowly moved away from the wall that was scarred with "STOP".

"Can we move on to the next room?" Haru whispered. She eyed the nearest warning, scrawled across the floor as it was. "I really don't want to stick around here."

Muta pushed against her legs. "I agree with Chicky. Let's go."

"Good decision," Garry said, and he pushed forward onto the next door. The corridor was violet, like the room they had just left, and thankfully with the lights working. Garry quickly snuffed out the lighter before this corridor could react to the open flame as well. "Mary, are you okay? The room back there didn't scare you, did it?"

As he knelt down before the little blonde, Mary gave a nervous shake of her head. "No. I'm okay."

"That room was a little frightening," he assured her, "and it's okay to be frightened. We'll just keep on moving together, that's the ticket! We'll get out of here all together, I promise. Okay?"

Mary edged towards Ib. "Yeah. I'm fine."

As one group, they continued along the hallway. This one was mercifully a good deal less eventful than the ones that had come before, although the eyes of the paintings seemed to watch them pass by. Haru hurried over to where Toto and Baron were slowly flying, with Muta close on her heels.

"This place is still pretty creepy," she whispered. "How big do you think it is?"

"It's difficult to say," Baron replied.

"I mean, the art gallery only had, like, four rooms. This doesn't add up."

"That's because this is no longer the art gallery we started out in."

"Wait." Muta stopped and Haru almost tripped over him in the process. "So where are we? 'Cause this looks an awful lot like the gallery."

Toto snickered at Muta's expense. "Have you really not worked it out yet, puddingbrain?"

"I'm also in the dark here," Haru idly reminded him. "So, where are we?"

"We're inside one of the paintings."

"What?" There was a skittering of small feet, and Ib ran over to join the Bureau. Mary and Garry followed quickly behind. "We're in a painting?"

"Yes."

Haru pondered Baron's answer. "This all began when we were standing in front of that landscape piece," she said. "What was it called, again? Fantastic World?"

" _Fabricated World_ ," he amended. "Yes. It was only after standing before that painting that the gallery apparently came alive. That was because we were pulled into the world of the painting, in which the other art pieces come alive. This would explain a lot."

"Are ya gonna add to that or are ya just gonna leave it at that?"

"I was about to continue, Muta. Like I mentioned back at the Refuge, Guertena is an artist who has been known to create Creations–"

"Smoothly said."

Baron ignored Muta this time around. "–but his artworks do not appear to be alive like most Creations – for example, myself and Toto."

"Yeah, we got that."

"I was merely adding it for the benefit of those not acquainted with Creations. As I was saying – and please refrain from further comment, Muta–"

"Eh."

"–most Creations are able to come alive and move about." A vein twitched in Baron's forehead at Muta's stubborn contributions. "Not Guertena's works, however."

"What if they only came alive at night or something?" Haru asked. "You know, like _Night at the Museum_."

"I – what?"

Haru hesitated. "Sorry. Movie reference. But what if they do only come alive when people aren't around, and that's why there's no record of the paintings being... you know, magical or something?"

"We investigated into Guertena's pieces years ago," Toto said. "We never spoke to the man, because we were not sure whether he was aware of what he was creating, but it was clear that the artworks are not awake, like we are."

"Toto is correct. We quickly established that the artworks you see in the gallery are, for want of a better word, dormant. However, that Creation potential must go somewhere. It is now clear that the painting he called _Fabricated World_ was used as a way to store that magic. Thus, he created artworks that almost seemed alive, without having the complication of sentient Creations."

"So... like, a super-Creation?"

Baron smiled. "I suppose so."

"Which is why all the paintings are coming alive here. Because they're like... echoes of the original Creations or something?"

"Precisely that."

"That's all fine and good, but how're we gonna get out of here then?" Muta trundled over to Haru. "What about your portal magic, Chicky?"

"I can't do it without something that is already a dormant portal."

"Eh. Fat lot of good you are."

"Look who's talking." Haru was about to add more when their progress along the quiet corridor came to a shambling halt at the branching hallway that lay before them. Two doors – identical in every aspect – lay at the end of two corridors separated at a fork. At the critical junction hung a painting of vibrant yellow flowers entangled thick with vines.

"Meh. Multiple choice. I hate multiple choice."

"So what do we do?" Haru mused aloud. "Should we stick together or–"

"We should split up," Baron said. "Garry, Mary, and Ib – you should take the room to the left, while the rest of us investigate the door to the right. Report back as soon as the contents of the next room has been discerned. Is that all understood?"

Garry nodded. "That seems sensible."

"Geez, shouldn't at least one of us have stuck with the newbies?" Muta asked upon entering their designated room. This one was filled with boxes and – thankfully – inanimate sculptures, with a door at the far side that looked promising. "They're probably just gonna get into more trouble."

"Then why didn't you volunteer?" Toto cackled.

"Muta has got a point though," Haru said. "This is seem strange for you, Baron."

"That's because we've found ourselves in a strange situation." Toto alighted onto one of the boxes, where Baron stepped down onto his own feet. "One of those three individuals back there are not who they claim to be."

"'Course they're not," Muta grumbled. "They never are. So? Who's the guilty party?"

"That's the problem. I do not know."

"Then how do you know one of them is lying?" Haru asked.

"I can only tell that there is a disruption of Creation magic about them. I presume it is only one causing the disruption, for it is too mild to be shared between more than a single entity, but that doesn't lessen the issue at hand."

"So… until we know who they are, we have to be careful around all three," she summarised. "Great. Sounds about normal." Haru rubbed at her forehead. "Why can't it be cute bunnies and butterflies for once on these cases? Okay, so, one of them is lying… but all three appear to be as lost as we are. Maybe… Maybe they're not malevolent. Maybe they're just different. After all, Baron, you and Toto are both Creations too."

"Perhaps, but it may be wise to exercise caution."

Muta snorted. "Yeah. They're probably gonna be evil."

Upon finishing scouting the single room, the Bureau exited and started towards the other door. As they approached, the others emerged. "Any luck?" Haru asked.

"Nothing but a creepy, creepy room," Garry said.

"They weren't creepy," Mary insisted. "I think they were rather cute!"

Haru decided against asking. The two children seemed unaffected, although Garry looked shaken. "Is it a dead end?" she prompted.

"I'm afraid so." The young man shivered again and shook off the nerves finally. He attempted a smile. "What about the other room?"

"It seems to consist of mostly cardboard boxes and dormant artworks," Baron replied. "However, there is a door that looks like it should enable us to progress."

"Great!" Mary skipped ahead of them, her hand in Ib's. "Let's get going then!"

As she passed by the flower portrait, there was an itching, crawling sound. From within the canvas, the blossoms inside began to surge forward until they were writhing against the painting's limits.

"It's… It's okay, I think," Haru said slowly. She began to sidle over to where Ib and Mary stood. "I don't think… they can do much… So if we just keep moving–"

There was a crunch and vines broke up through the floor. Haru grabbed the two girls and dragged them out of the vines' way, scraping her foot across the plants in the process. She spun round in time to see a wall of vines – vines that looked like they had been torn straight from the painting – rise up and form a solid wall across the corridor.

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"I think you'll find that it isn't just anyone who can be pulled into a Creation world. Mostly it is restricted to children, those with open minds, or those with magic in their veins. Or… Creations. So... Garry, which are you? Who are you?" /**_ _ **"Well, if you get to the last petal and you're going to end with 'loves me not', you just count the stem too! That way, they always love you." / "A Creation living in this place cannot leave unless it takes the place of someone in the... real world." / "Did you wait when I asked you?" Haru retorted. "Did you listen when I begged you to stop?" She shook her head, tears of her own springing up. "Touch that final petal and I'll make sure you burn." / "Then take mine. Take my rose."**_


	4. The Living Gallery (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

" _ **If your mind suffers too much, you will soon start to hallucinate… And in the end, it will break apart. And, more worrying yet, is that you will not even be able to recognise that fact.**_ **"**

 **Weiss Guertena; Ib**

 **x**

 **Episode 4: The Living Gallery (Part 2)**

"Haru? Haru!"

"Ib? Mary? Are you okay?"

Haru threw a glance back to check on the two children. They seemed a little shaken from the abrupt dive across the hallway, but otherwise unharmed. "Yeah! We're okay! How about you?"

"We appear to be uninjured," Garry replied. There was a thud, which sounded like he was trying to beat the vines back. Haru's suspicions were confirmed a moment later with, "It's no good – these are solid stone."

"There were boxes in the next room," she recalled. "Perhaps there'll be something useful in one of them."

"Haru, are you quite certain it's wise to be wondering off like that?" Baron called. "We have no knowledge of what lies beyond that door." His voice was strained with the warning he dared not give. "We have no form of communicating once we separate."

Haru forced a grin, although Baron couldn't see it. The vines were so entangled, so thick, that not even the smaller members of the Bureau could squeeze through. "I know. But we won't be in there for long – we'll just check the next room and see if there's anything helpful. After all, what other choice do we have? I'll be careful. I promise. But you have to promise to do the same." A memory rose up through her mind, unbidden and unwelcome. "You haven't had the best of luck when separated either." The words came quietly as her mind was cast back to a briefly-human Baron. A Baron separated from the Bureau amidst a crowd of superstitious humans. A Baron who had almost fallen prey to their fear. "Please."

"I will, Haru. And, this time, I'm not alone."

Haru could hear the unspoken addition. _But you are._

"Just... stay there until we get back," she said. "We'll find a way to break through."

She turned and now allowed Mary and Ib to start towards the next door. There was no real need to be worried for the others, she tried to tell herself. Baron had Muta and Toto with him. And what did she have? Two young girls to look after, and zero helpful magic. And potentially one of those girls was an imposter. She couldn't even rely on her portal magic. She mentally echoed Muta's statement from earlier: Fine lot of good her heritage was.

Upon stepping into the next room, the door swung behind all three individuals with a firm click. Haru tried the handle, to which it merely shuddered ineffectively but did not open. "Have... Have we just been locked in...?" she murmured. She tried again, harder this time, and found the door well and truly stuck in place. "Baron! The door's just locked us in!" she shouted. She paused, hoping that her voice could be heard past the door and vines. There was only silence. "BARON!"

"Perhaps they can't hear us," Ib offered.

Haru fought back the desire to snap back something sarcastic. The girl meant well, after all. "Perhaps," she said with a smile. "Well then, let's see if we can find a key or something in here. Perhaps there'll even be something to help break down those vines."

It soon became clear that the boxes contained a variety of artwork materials – drawing paper, paint, paint brushes – but no keys or other useful items. Ib found a palette knife in one. "Maybe we can cut through those vines with this?" Mary suggested.

"I doubt it," Ib murmured.

"She's right. This will never work against stone," Haru agreed. She took the palette knife and dropped it back into the box. "Are there any other boxes left? We still need a way out."

"There's the other door," Mary said.

"Yes, but that would require moving further away from the others," Haru said. "And I'm uneasy enough about this as it is. Ib? What do you think?"

"I'd rather not split up."

"Huh? Why not?" Mary asked. "We'll be back really quick!"

Haru suddenly found herself the centre of the attention from the two girls. With a lurch, she realised she was the responsible adult here. For the first time on a Bureau case, she wasn't just working alongside the Bureau. She wasn't even left alone to look after simply herself or other adults. She was left with children.

She sighed. "Alright. We'll try the next room. The others don't have anywhere to go, so I suppose it's up to us. But you'll need to listen to me. Do you understand?"

Ib nodded. Mary gave a half-hearted shrug and weaved her hand through Ib's. "As long as we can stay together, we'll be happy," she said with a laugh.

Haru smiled weakly and started towards the next door. She remembered what it was like to be that age; she and Hiromi had been nigh inseparable – and more than a little annoying at times. She opened up the door and started into the corridor beyond, allowing the two girls to follow a little way behind.

"Whoever was left to the interior design of this place needs to be fired," she murmured to herself. The walls and doors here were now orange; even the carpet was a muddied shade. The corridor twisted and turned, and the further they went, the more Haru became aware of the distance between her and the rest of the Bureau. She would just have to hope that they would find a way to reunite sooner rather than later...

ooOoo

"They're taking their time..." Garry muttered. He was beginning to pace as the silence from the other side slowly lengthened. "I wonder if something's happened? I shouldn't have let them go alone..."

"Eh, don't worry. Chicky's got things under control. So what do we do now? Just wait around until they get back?"

"I suppose we could investigate that room again..." the young man offered, "as much as I hate to go back there..."

"Given our limited options, that may be our best choice right now," Baron agreed. He maintained a watch on the lone human as they re-entered the room – a room which, although strange, was not what many would have described as 'creepy'. Along the edge of the room, lines of ornamental rabbits sat silently to attention.

Garry simply shuddered and made a point of not looking too closely at the inanimate objects. "No matter how I look at it, this is NOT 'cute'."

Muta merely pushed past, wrinkling his nose as he went. "Hey look, there's the bunnies Chicky was asking after. She should've stuck around with us."

"Bunnies?" Garry echoed. "Where did you get rabbits from?"

The Bureau paused and, as one, turned to look at the human.

"Garry, would you care to tell us exactly what you see here?"

He looked to them. "Why, dolls, of course. Just your average, creepy, dolls..." He paled. "Why? What do you see?"

"Dolls? Ya seeing dolls? Check yourself into a loony bin, 'cause–"

Toto swooped down and shoved the cat off his paws. "Are you still using that, you cavecat?"

"From where we stand," Baron said, studiously ignoring the rest of the Bureau, "the room appears to be filled with rabbit-shaped ornaments. Precisely what do these dolls look like?"

"They're... uh, they're blue rag dolls; black hair, red eyes, pink dress..."

"Sounds like a kid's toy," Muta commented, picking himself back up. He hissed at Toto, daring him to go at him again. "Creepy kid's doll."

"Why are you the only one to see them like that?" Baron wondered. "And which one is the true form?"

"Perhaps if we can find a way out, we might find some answers," Toto said.

"A way out? Birdbrain, the only way out is back through that door–"

There was a loud creak as the small bookcase Garry had leant against slid across the wall. Behind it was the first hint of a hole.

"Hey, would you look at that," Toto said with a beaky smirk. "A way out. How convenient."

"If you continue to push the bookcase, it might reveal a hole large enough to escape through," Baron said.

"I'm already on it." Garry heaved the bookcase to one side and, as Baron had predicted, there was a gap large enough to take him. The Bureau followed through after him into a hallway as purple as the room they had just exited. The only spot of alternative colour was the orange rose secured in a vase across from them.

"Again? Looks like some sucker still hasn't taken the bait," Muta snorted. "There must be another human about or something."

"Maybe," Baron said. "Let's keep moving. Look – there's a door over that way..."

"With another rabbit ornament," Toto added. They all, almost as one, glanced back to Garry. "Is it...?"

"It looks like a doll to me," he said. "There seems to be writing on the wall above it – what does it say?"

Baron leapt onto Toto and they flew over to the wall. Scribbled, almost childish, writing was scrawled above the rabbit/doll's head. "It says... ' _Hello there, Garry... I don't like being alone... Take me with you..._ '"

"It knows your name, kid. Why does it know your name?"

"I think we should carry on moving," Garry muttered.

"Yeah, but why–?"

"It's nothing. Just another... Just another trick."

They continued along the corridor, but it wasn't too long before another rabbit/doll was spotted slumped against the wall. This time, the writing on the wall read, ' _Hey, why aren't you taking me?_ '

And another.

' _Why are you ignoring me? Do you hate me?_ '

And another.

' _Hey, play with me! I know lots of fun things we can do.._.'

"Okay, _now_ I'm picking up on the creepy vibe. Can't ya just pick up the dratted thing? Actually, don't. I don't think I want that thing tagging around with us."

"Is it the same one?" Toto asked. "Or are we passing multiple ones?"

"I wouldn't put it past either option," Baron said. "Garry, are you quite certain that you are unfamiliar with these creatures? They seem... quite insistent."

"I'm certain." Garry was beginning to sound frustrated with every doll they passed. Eventually, they came to the end of the corridor. The door opened up into a small room with only two items of note. Another rabbit/doll and an orange rose in a vase. There was a click behind them as they entered, and it quickly became clear that both doors had just locked them in.

Garry stormed over to the rabbit/doll slumped before the door. "How long are you going to follow me? Enough of this! I'm busy here, and I'm not going to be your buddy!"

He moved to kick it.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"I... I do not believe harming it would be a wise course of action here," Baron warned. "This place has a mind of its own – and it would not be wise to cross it. Meanwhile, we should look for a way out of here."

ooOoo

"Haru, you're best friends with those strange people, aren't you?"

Haru looked back to the little blonde as they progressed along the corridor. "Well… I'm not sure I can call them _best friends_. I have another friend who might object to that," she said with a chuckle. "But they are very close friends. In fact, my best friend and I were probably a lot like yourself and Ib."

Mary beamed at the comparison. "Okay, but if you had to choose a _best_ friend from those three, who would you pick?"

Haru shrugged. "It's… not really that simple."

"You talk a lot with the fat cat."

"I think 'bicker' would be a better term," she replied with a laugh. "And I suppose I do. But Muta wouldn't be half as funny without Toto around, and neither would get anything done without Baron there to keep them in line. We all work together as a team."

"You're friends with them even though two of them aren't real?"

This time around, Haru paused in her step. A moment passed. "What makes you say that?"

"They're just figurines, aren't they?" Mary asked. "So they're not really real. They're just like everything else here."

"I… I'm not sure. But the Creations here seem to be hostile; Baron and Toto would never…"

A memory returned – a memory of the other side of Baron. Of the other-Creation who had called himself the Duke. A Baron born and abandoned in a world of war, who had torn away the side of him he was ashamed of and run from it… In a way, Duke and Baron were merely different sides of the same coin. Everything Duke was had originally taken form in Baron. Everything Duke did, Baron had once been capable of. And, perhaps, was still capable of.

"It's just different," she finished hollowly. "The Baron I know… would never harm anyone."

' _Ah… but you don't really know him, do you?_ ' her mind added treacherously. ' _There are whole swathes of his history that you have only caught glimpses of…_ '

"It's what he is now that matters," Haru said stoically. "And who he is now is someone who would never turn his back on someone in need. That's who he is."

"You trust him, don't you?" Ib asked quietly.

Despite all her misgivings, despite all the questions that rose up when she least needed them, that was one answer she could give honestly. "Yes. Yes, with all my heart."

Mary giggled. "Do you _love_ him?"

It was only the childish, sing-song tone of the question that prevented Haru from reacting with anything more than a start. She blushed a little and looked away. "It's complicated."

"I like to play 'loves me, loves me not'," Mary helpfully told her. "You should do that. And there's a way to make sure that you always end up on 'loves me'." Her attention returned to Ib. "Do you know it, Ib?"

The other girl silently shook her head.

"Well, if you get to the last petal and you're going to end with 'loves me not', you just count the stem too! That way, they always love you."

ooOoo

"And how are we gonna get outta here?" Muta demanded. "It ain't like there are any keys just lying about. Unless... we could try smashing the rabbit... Perhaps there's a key in there..."

"Or perhaps the message on the wall might help," Toto said flatly. He landed on the table with the vase and rose. With a wing, he pointed towards the letters written in dripping paint above the door. " _TAKE ME_.' Seems pretty clear to me."

"Yes," Baron agreed. "But _which_ do we take?"

"Are ya kidding me? It must be the rabbit – what else? It's not like there's anything else that's been hanging arou... wait."

"Baron, you don't mean to say that you think the rose is yours?"

Baron didn't reply immediately to the questions of his Bureau companions, which was half an answer unto itself. "Haru spoke of experiencing a pull towards her rose; it would be... dishonest to deny that I sense a similar feeling towards the orange one."

"That would explain why it's been following us around!" Muta exclaimed. "So are ya gonna take it or what?"

"I believe this room presents us with an option," Baron said. "The words say ' _take ME_ ' not ' _take US_ ', so it may be that we only need to take one item to be allowed to proceed. Garry, this may be a good time for you to enlighten us on the nature of the doll, since that is the other option presented here."

"Can't ya just take the rose and be done with it? It's not like it's a big deal."

"It may not be, but there must be a reason for the doll's persistence. That may be a 'big deal' in itself." The Creation looked to the lone human. "I think you'll find that it isn't just anyone who can be pulled into a Creation world. Mostly it is restricted to children, those with open minds, or those with magic in their veins. Or… Creations. So... Garry, which are you? _Who_ are you?"

' _What are you?_ '

Garry dropped his gaze away. There was a faint, defeated smile on his face. "You've caught me. I'm not as… as ignorant to the world of Creations as I would first have you believe…"

"Ha! I knew it! I knew he was the one!" Muta gloated.

"You knew nothing of the sort, moron."

Garry frowned. "You… You knew I am Guertena's grandson?"

Baron answered for the rest of the suddenly-silent Bureau. "No, we didn't. So what is the doll?"

"It was my first attempt at making something." Garry laughed sadly. "I was only a child at the time, with little knowledge of my heritage, and so the Creation I made was not fully complete. My grandfather was so proud... There was another artisan in the family!" He scoffed quietly to himself, still not making eye contact with the Bureau. "But, truth be told, the doll began to scare me. It's one thing to imagine your toys are alive; it's quite another to see the badly-sewn stuffed toy you made twitch in the night. So, one night, I snuck down to my grandfather's studio and hid it in the painting he used to store all his Creations' magic."

"So you've known what this place was from the moment you entered," Baron said.

"Great. So, how do we get out, kid?"

"It... It isn't as simple as that. I haven't been in here in... _years_. After the creation of the doll, I decided against creating more. I still tried to create art, but it was always difficult to make something without accidentally bringing it alive." He shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess that's why I was never a very good artist. I've always been too afraid of throwing everything into a project."

"Yeah, yeah, but how do we get outta here?"

"As I said before, it's been many years since I last entered the _Fabricated World_. I've had nothing to do with my grandfather since I was quite young, and a lot of things have been added and changed since then. That said, I cannot believe my grandfather would have left the portal to this painting open..."

"Ah..." Toto said, "We... may have played a part in that."

Baron nodded. "The Creation magic we released must have re-awakened the painting. When we escape from this place, I can close it again with the use of the stone I brought with me."

"Doesn't Chicky have that in her bag?"

"She does. However, Muta, I have fully intend to escape with everyone included." He paused, and his next words were quieter, tainted with an unwanted realisation. "Even with the artisan blood in your veins, it doesn't explain the disruption of Creation magic… which means, I believe, that the imposter is either Ib or Mary…"

"What?" Garry demanded. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do you think he means, idiot?" Muta grunted. "One of the kids ain't who she says she is. Eh, don't worry, Baron; Chicky'll have this under control. We should probably get moving though – this place is making my fur stand on end. So, which are ya gonna take – the doll or the rose?"

"I can't take the doll," Garry said.

"Sure ya can. Just pick it up and let's get going–"

"No, I can't. Not unless someone stays behind."

Toto hopped over to the table's edge. "What do you mean?"

"A Creation living in this place cannot leave unless it takes the place of someone in the... _real_ world."

"Does that mean Baron and Beaky are stuck here then?"

"No. Since they already have a place in the real world, they can leave. The doll... cannot. Not unless someone dies here and the doll steps through in their place."

"Right. So no creepy doll. Gotcha. So, unless we wanna spend the rest of our lives here, I guess you'd better take the rose, Baron."

Baron nodded. "It certainly seems that way." He stepped over to the vase and gripped the rose's thorny stem. It was almost taller than him. With some difficultly, he hoisted it out. There was a flash, a bang, and suddenly a human-sized Baron was standing in the room. The next door clicked and swung open to reveal a small library of sorts.

"Aw, really? Shape-changing magic again?"

"That... wasn't me," Baron said. "It seems that the world thinks it's better for me to play this game at a more... convenient size." He jumped a little when Toto flew onto his shoulder. "I suppose it would be ridiculous to carry around a flower almost larger than myself."

"Meh. Being tall is overrated." Muta scoffed and pushed the door fully open, stepping through into the room beyond. "Why did it want you, anyway? It's not like there ain't the birdbrain and me around."

Baron's eyes flickered down to the rose in his grasp. Evidently this was a mystery that had been causing him grief since first laying eyes on the orange blossom. "I… I'm not sure. Perhaps it'll become clearer as we progress further."

Muta scoffed. "Can we just keep moving? There ain't anything to see here 'cept for a load of musty old books." He looked back and groaned. "Baron, we haven't got time for some light reading–"

"I know, I know." All the same, he was skimming his eyes over the book titles filling the shelves, passing idle hands over their spines. "This seems like an odd place to locate a library, does it not? Perhaps something here may enlighten us as to the layout of this place."

"Yeah, yeah; sure someone's just gonna leave a map lying about..."

"There seems to be a book on Guertena's artworks," Garry said, browsing through one of the bookcases across from Baron. "Perhaps that will aid us." He shifted the pages round so that the Creation could now see. "Here are the Ladies... ' _The women here become very troublesome when they acquire a desire for humans. They'll always stubbornly chase things until they're satisfied, it seems... Anywhere, everywhere, to the ends of the earth... But if they have one weakness, it's that they can't open doors on their own..._ '"

"Huh, that is actually rather useful," Toto said.

"Yeah. Too bad we've already worked that out."

"Yes, Muta, however we know very little on the other Creations here. Carry on, Garry. We've encountered stone statues and headless mannequins; perhaps there is something on those, since they seem to be quite active?"

"Let me see..."

Garry flipped through the pages until they came to the portrait of a very familiar individual.

A human individual.

Or so they had thought.

"What–?"

"It appears our confusion over the imposter has been cleared..." Baron started for the door beyond, past a painting of a twitching ear. "We have to keep going. We may be running out of time."

ooOoo

As they passed by the whispering painting of a pair of lips, Mary went suddenly quiet. She shuddered to a stop, dragging Ib to a halt also through their joined hands. Her bright blue eyes were wide with something akin to shock.

"Mary, what's wrong?" Ib asked.

"No…thing's… wrong… Nothing…" Mary began to giggle, which then grew into a laugh that shook her entire being. There were tears streaming down her eyes. "Ahaha… I don't like them… not one bit…"

"Who don't you like?" Haru prompted gently. The lively little girl had suddenly changed demeanours entirely… and the replacement was something that set all Haru's nerves on edge. She reached out to the blonde, but Mary stepped away, tugging Ib with her. Her hand dropped to her dress pocket, where her yellow rose lay hidden.

Ib tried to move away from her friend, but Mary's grip only tightened.

"Where… where are you going, Ib?" she demanded. "Don't you want to stay with me anymore?"

"Of course we do," Haru said. "We just–"

"I wasn't talking to you," Mary snapped. Her tone abruptly took on the petulant tone of a child on the edge of a tantrum. "I want Ib to stay with me. Ib's my friend. Aren't you, Ib?"

The little brunette squirmed as she tried to pull her hand free.

"You're not scared, are you, Ib? You're not scared of me?"

"Mary, please just let go of Ib. You're hurting her."

"I'm not."

Ib finally wriggled her wrist free and hurried over to Haru. Mary started to approach them, her hand slipping into her pocket and drawing out not the rose, but the palette knife Haru was sure they had left behind. Haru stepped between Ib and Mary.

Mary released a shrill squeal of childish frustration.

"Why do adults have to spoil everything?! First the others, and now you! It's just… It's just not fair!"

"The others?" Haru echoed. "Which others? Do you mean the Bureau and Garry?"

"You're all in my way!" Mary was past listening now. "In my way… In my way…" Her gaze fixed on the girl behind Haru and she tried to approach again. And, again, Haru stayed between them, keeping one hand on Ib to nudge her back.

"Where are you going, Ib? I thought you were my friend… Aren't you my best friend? Why don't you want to stay with me, Ib?" The knife was shaking at her side, quivering in her grip. "Why are you running away from me? Don't you want to stay with me forever?"

Along the corridor behind them came the pounding of running feet. Suddenly, Garry and Baron came racing around the corner; Baron grabbed Mary's hand with the knife and twisted it away. In the process, Mary lost her footing and fell. She smacked into the ground and didn't get up.

From behind Haru, Ib edged around her and went running to hug Garry. He froze for a moment, and then tentatively hugged her back.

"Haru, are you okay?" Baron asked.

"Fine. Just a little… shaken." She looked down to the unconscious girl, who had lost both the knife and her yellow rose in the process. Haru nudged the flower with her foot; now it was clear that the blossom was purely fake. "So… who exactly was she? Or should I be asking _what_?"

"She's Guertena's final painting," the Creation answered.

"I don't remember seeing her portrait back in the gallery."

"That's because my grandfather never showed her to anyone," Garry said. "Most of his artworks, he simply sealed away the magical potential away in the _Fabricated World_ , but I believe he hid Mary's whole being away in this painting. This would explain why she seemed so… real. That is why there is only one of her here; all the others are scattered since only their magic potential resides here."

"Your… grandfa– wait, no. Never mind. Another time. So now what do we do?"

"We should proceed until we find an exit," Baron said. "The stone in your bag will enable us to close the painting – but only after we are back in the Human World."

"Oh, good. We _do_ have a plan then." Haru glanced along the corridor and finally took note of the shrunken group. "Where… Where are Toto and Muta?"

"They're coming." Baron pointed behind him, and now Toto arrived around the corner, carrying an exhausted Muta in his talons. Muta waved his paws ineffectually in their direction.

"Faster, Birdbrain! Faster!"

"If you want faster, perhaps you should walk yourself, butterball!" Toto reached the group and, without any sort of warning, dropped the overweight cat onto the ground. "Fatso."

Muta hissed back at him. "Don't do that again, beaky!"

"Did… Did Muta forget how to walk or something?" Haru asked.

"These morons went running the moment they heard you kids were in trouble," Muta grunted. "Some of us ain't made for running, you know!"

"You seem to manage okay usually…"

Muta scowled and sat down heavily. "So now that's everyone's safe, can we take a breather? I've had enough excitement for one case today."

"I'm afraid not, Muta," Baron said. He turned back to Haru. "There was a staircase we passed in our haste to reach you which looks like it may offer a viable route onwards. I suggest we carry on before Mary wakes up."

"Agreed." As they started, Haru raised her eyebrow at the Creation who was now half a head taller than her. "While we walk, it might be a good idea for you to explain a few things… You didn't use your own magic again, did you? You know that's dangerous–"

Muta snorted. "Try again, Chicky." He started to plod down the stairs, following after Ib and Garry. "He's reached new levels of stupidity."

"What do you–" Haru now spotted the orange rose in Baron's hand and instinctively moved to reach for it. "Baron!"

Baron abruptly started down the stairs, two steps at a time to keep out of Haru's reach. "It was merely a tactical decision," he insisted. "We were given a limited choice in order to progress and this was the lesser of two evils!"

"You took a rose?" she demanded. She hurried after him, running around Ib and Garry to catch up. "After knowing how my rose affects me? What happens if it gets taken? Or lost? Are you an IDIOT?"

Garry watched them go with a faint air of despair. "And… these are who we're relying on to make it out?"

Muta sniggered. "Welcome to my life."

"Baron, slow down and talk to me!" Haru was shouting. They came to the bottom of the stairs and Baron halted – Haru almost swung straight past him, but he caught her and she staggered to a stop. "Thank you. But, really, Baron; what were you _thinking_?

"I was thinking that we needed to reach you and Ib before Mary turned on you," he said. "Only those who enter the painting can exit back into the Human World… and so those Creations who are stuck here can only escape if they take the place of one such person." His green eyes focused solely onto hers. "Such as yourself, or Ib."

"Oh." Haru was silent for a moment. "Okay."

Baron tilted his head curiously at Haru's changed tone. "What are you thinking, Haru?"

"It's just that… it's kind of unfair for them, isn't it? To be trapped inside this world…"

"Most of the Creations are too shattered – too disorientated from their magic being split from their physical forms – to have the cognitive ability to understand that. Only those which were stored, physically and magically, in this world will comprehend their trapped situation."

"Guertena wasn't a very nice artist, was he?" she asked quietly.

"No. He was a good artist, but not a kind one. It is cruel to split apart a Creation for the sake of rendering your artwork other-worldly, but… otherwise manageable. He desired the life of the Creations in his art without the responsibilities of new souls."

Haru's mind was cast back to her father. "It seems like there are many artisans who can't take that responsibility."

"For every one that can't, there will be those who can and do. Like Toto's artisan, for instance." Baron raised his hand and then, after a moment's tangible hesitance, rested it against Haru's cheek. She instinctively leant into the reassuring contact. "Your father's actions are not your burden, Haru. You are not responsible for the choices of my artisan."

"Doesn't help me feel any better about it," she mumbled. Her eyes were cast down, but a little of the weight lifted from her shoulders. "It's been a year and I still don't know how to feel about him. Where do you think he is now?"

"Who knows, Chicky?" Muta slinked over to them – or as best as he could – and pushed past them in what was probably meant to be a comforting manner. "Your old man never could stay still; he's probably off in some other dimension entirely by now. No good looking for him – it wasn't as if he went looking for you."

"Muta!"

"No, no, Baron; it's okay." She patted at his arm and broke the contact between them, nudging his hand away in the process. "Muta's just being honest. He's right, of course; my father was the one who ran away, even after…" She shook her head abruptly. "Look, this isn't the time or place to get distracted – we need to keep moving."

"Yeah, and get outta this creepy place. It just keeps on getting weirder and weirder…"

The fresh note of disgust for their surroundings prompted Haru to snap her attention away from Baron and to the new corridor.

Things had definitely changed.

Their surroundings were still pink – pink floor, pink walls – but now they had taken on a quite different quality. Where the stairs ended, the corridor beyond looked like something drawn out of a child's sketchbook. The floor was badly coloured in, and the walls gave way further ahead to a little house.

Haru glanced down to herself to make sure she hadn't changed into a child's drawing in stepping into this new region; it was never clear how much new worlds would affect them. To her relief, she was still very real.

"So now what do we do?" Garry asked, approaching the Bureau.

"There's only one thing we can," Baron said. "We investigate." He turned back to them with the kind of smile he reserved for clients who needed reassuring; that sort of smile didn't work on Haru anymore because she knew the furious improvising that went on behind it. "Change is good. Change means we have progressed along in the story."

"Yeah, but this looks an awful lot like a kid's drawing," Muta mumbled, pointing out the obvious. "So does this mean this is where the killer kid hangs out? 'Cause then we're gonna be in trouble. Also, that house looks a lot like a dead end."

Haru nudged Muta with her foot. Hard. "Who knows? Perhaps the painting back to our world is in there."

"Do you really think that?" Garry asked.

"Well, it has to be somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, but we came through a painting to get here," Muta pointed out. "And that's all the way back there." He loosely gestured back the way they had come.

"No, the portrait back is quite different," Garry said. "The painting into this world is a one-way system, while the painting back to our world should look like the gallery we originally came from." He looked down to the little brunette who was keeping a tight hold of his hand. "Don't worry, Ib; we'll get out of here."

"We will indeed," Baron promised. He started towards the house. "And now, I think, it's time to explore the route ahead."

The house in question was the very cliché of a child's drawing. A square house with a triangular roof, two windows and an uneven door slapped in the middle. A squiggle indicated a handle, which Baron reached for and, with some difficult, turned. The door swung inward to reveal an interior as hastily coloured as the outside. A grey abomination represented what was probably meant to be a table, with a vase of… something resting on top. Flowers, probably, but there was no way to tell. Given that they were red blobs of paint, they were probably meant to be roses.

There was another door of similar make drawn against the wall to their right.

"Does anyone else feel like we're being watched?" Toto asked. He landed on Baron's shoulder with an uneasy ruffling of his feathers.

"What's the matter, birdbrain? Getting scared?"

"Not now, you two," Baron warned. He started for the second door. "You may bicker all you wish once the case has been closed; for now, however, we need to focus."

"Focus? Focus on what?" Muta followed Baron into the next room. "All that's here is a load of scribbles. What are they gonna do? Colour me to death?"

Haru hung back to motion Garry and Ib inside. "Sorry about this. I'd say we're usually a much more unified team, but I'd be lying."

"You're as bad as me, Chicky! Don't deny it!"

Haru grinned. "Okay. Maybe. Hey… is this a dead end?"

"Told ya."

Baron began to inspect the small room they had entered. "Maybe… but I doubt it," he was mumbling. "We reached what appeared to be a dead end before, but we found a hidden passageway regardless. It doesn't make sense for the trail to end here…" He examined what was probably meant to be a bookcase, although none of the books would come free from their shelves. "There has to be a way to progress…"

Ib tugged her hand free from Garry's and wandered over to the large black… square object resting in the corner. With little hands, she started to push at the white line running horizontally along the item. Garry saw what she was attempting to do, and added his strength to the mix. Suddenly it swung open to reveal the white innards of a box.

"What… is this?"

With his query, the rest of the group gathered about the object.

"Are ya blind? It's a toybox," Muta grunted. "See?" He pointed to the word scrawled across the black. "But what good's a toybox gonna do?"

"Has it got anything in it?" Haru asked. She leant forward and dropped a hand inside; after reaching for a few mute seconds, she withdrew it but didn't move away. "I can't feel the bottom. How big do you think this is?"

"What's inside it?" Garry asked.

"Do you want to know?"

There was a laugh from behind them; a high-pitched, child's laugh, and suddenly they were being pushed into the box. The white sucked them inside, drawing them into its innards, where suddenly the white turned to grey, and then to black, and then everything went dark.

ooOoo

When Haru came to, she found she had fallen on something soft and cushiony. She groaned and pushed herself up while her eyes accustomed themselves to the low light. "Sorry, Muta. My bad."

She waited a moment for the onslaught of insults to be barraged her way.

"Hey… Muta? Are you okay? I don't think I've ever heard you be so quiet…"

She blinked and the world around her began to swim back into focus in dim monochrome. Whatever she had fallen on was not white nor furry, she was suddenly discovering. What she had fallen on was a huge, inanimate stuffed doll. She screeched and ineffectually rolled away from it.

"What the – where is–"

Her words were cut off into a terrified squeak as she saw that her new surroundings contained more of the artworks – such as the headless mannequins, and the paintings of the Ladies, and little blue dolls that she didn't recognise at all. All silent and still… for now. Her hands shot to her mouth to muffle the shocked screech that would surely wake them. The floor was black, save for the drawings that had been sketched out across it; they were of childish toys, but drawn with sharp hair and sharper teeth.

"Baron?" she whispered. The artworks still didn't stir. She dropped her hands and tried again. "Baron!"

Hands shot out from behind her and blocked off her mouth. She made to fight back until she noted the familiar white gloves covering those hands. She slowed and turned around to Baron.

"We have… to be… very… quiet…" he whispered.

She tugged his hand away. "Yes. I know."

He nodded, more to himself rather than to her, and his gaze started roaming the nightmarish room about them. A thought snapped to his mind and his eyes snapped, equally-fast, back to Haru. "Do you have your rose?"

"Of course. It's right…" Her voice trailed off as she reached for the strap on her shoulder… The strap that was no longer there. "My bag!" she hissed, as loudly as she dared. "It's gone! I must have dropped it–"

Baron's eyes widened and he was suddenly on his feet. Haru scrambled up, not quite as quick or silent as he had been. "Then we look for it," he said. "Along with the others."

"What about you? Do you have your rose?"

Baron showed her the orange blossom. "Right here."

"Oh, thank goodness."

A ball of white fur abruptly slammed into Haru's legs, nearly sending her flying in the process. Baron caught her shoulders before she fell, and spared a frown to his fellow feline. "Muta. What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" he hissed back. "I'm gonna be sticking with you guys. Have you _seen_ this place?"

"Where's Toto?" Baron asked, ignoring Muta's complaints.

"He ain't with you?"

"Why do you think we're asking?" Haru whispered. "Talking of which… where are Ib and Garry?"

"Oh heck. Don't say we have to go and rescue them."

"We only have to do that if they're in trouble," she reminded the fat cat. They began to search, as quietly as they could in the gloom-infested room, for their missing companions. The artworks continued to stare in their dormant, unseeing state, giving Haru hope that these were more inanimate than most.

Eventually they came into sight of the rest of their group, who had found one another and were gathering themselves with equal care in the silent room.

"Is everyone okay?" Haru asked. She tiptoed over to them. "Ib, Garry – have you got your roses?"

"Yes. We lost them upon falling, but we've found them again," Garry replied. "We also found this when we were searching." He picked up Haru's bag and offered it to the young woman. "Isn't it yours?"

She grabbed the bag and hugged it to her chest. "Yes. Thank you. Now, has anyone found a door in this place?" A hopeless thought clouded her mind and she added, "There… is a way out, isn't there? We're not just stuck in some child's half-drawn toy box for good now, are we?"

"No," Toto assured her. "There was an exit in that direction." He landed on Baron's shoulder and pointed into the darkness. Now if we can just make it out without waking the other Creations…"

The dim light, however weak it was already, began to flicker.

"That statue moved," Ib whispered, tugging on Garry's sleeve.

"Now, I'm sure it's just a trick of the–"

The light flickered again, and with the momentary darkness came the grinding, creaking sound of slowly-awakening Creations approaching. Garry yelped and skidded back. "No, it's not! Run, Ib!"

They turned tail and ran for the exit. With each flicker of the light, the artworks eased themselves more into life. The dry creaking changed into that of slow, uneasy footsteps and the dragging of portrait frames. The darkness, even when the feeble light was present, only granted them a yard's grace in seeing what was before them. More than once, Haru was pulled out of the reach of a Lady, or she had to hoist Baron away from the marauding mannequins.

But, they reached the door in the end.

Garry threw it open, and the whole group fled inside. Baron slammed the door shut behind them.

"Let's not repeat that experience again the future," the Creation said with an uneasy laugh. He pushed himself away from the door and looked about their new surroundings. They were still in the child-drawn section, save for a single, broken portrait at the far side.

There, an empty frame was left hanging on the wall, as real – or as real as anything was here – as any of the artworks. Except for the fact that the glass that had once protected the painting was shattered – broken as if something had smashed its way out from the inside.

"Is that… Is that what I think… it is?" Haru whispered.

"The original painting of Mary," Baron confirmed. "This must have been where Guertena placed her."

"That's right."

The group – almost as one – jumped and turned to face the newcomer. Mary stood between them and the door, the palette knife still in her hand and her other hand curled behind her back. The knife looked… sharper than it had earlier. Or was that merely a trick of the light?

"You're so clever," Mary crooned. "All so clever. Too clever. Why couldn't you have just left everything alone? Why did you have to be so nosy?"

"Mary, you understand that you cannot leave this world," Baron reasoned. "Only those who entered her from the world beyond can leave."

Mary simply shook her head. "No."

Baron paused. "No?" he echoed doubtfully.

"No. I can go into the real world. If I take someone's place." She smiled innocently, and for a moment she was the sweet, nine-year-old girl they had stumbled into at the very start. Sweet, save for the words she continued to spout. "I just want to be real. I just want friends. And if one of you stays here… forever… then I can." Her attention focused on Ib. "I thought we were friends, Ib. Don't you want that?"

"Perhaps we can find a way," Haru said. "We're the Bureau – we're here to help people. It's what we do. Perhaps we can find a way so that you–"

"I've already found a way." And Mary brought forward her other hand, and in it was clutched a delicate purple rose.

"No…" Haru froze, but her heart was beating a million miles a second. "Mary, please–"

"I don't need your help." The knife was dropped to the floor as, with her free hand, Mary plucked a single petal loose. "I can make my own way out."

Old scars ripped open across Haru's body like fire across dry wood. First it began as the small scratches and grazes, but as Mary plucked another petal free, they dug themselves deeper. Her ankle gave way as if reliving the many times she had sprained it.

"Don't get any closer, or I'll rip them all out," Mary warned them. "But, you know… I don't really like purple. I think I'd much rather have blue or orange…" Her eyes glimmered as they passed over Garry and Baron. Over the two rose-bearers who had discovered her little secret in the first place.

"Then take mine," Baron said. "Take my rose."

Garry stepped between them. "Are you crazy? You know what she'll do, don't you?"

"She's shown quite clearly what she'll do," the Creation returned. "She's already doing it to Haru." He moved past the young man and drew forward his rose. "Take it," he ordered, "but return Haru's rose."

Mary beamed. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She snatched up the orange rose and skipped further away. She threw Haru's rose back, almost as an afterthought. "Perhaps it'll be better to take your place," she mused happily. "After all, you are like me."

"Yes. We are both Creations." He gently swept Haru's rose off the floor and returned to the brunette, kneeling before her to pass the simple flower back to her. "Here."

Haru, her legs buckled beneath her with no strength to stand, allowed the rose to be returned. "You… you idiot," she whispered. "You shouldn't have done that."

Baron gave that ever-familiar smile – the one he saved for the clients to reassure them everything was going to be okay. Even if he was afraid. Even when he wasn't sure he could save everyone. "I have to," he said. "Of course I have to."

Behind him, Mary could be seen to gleefully tear a petal out; old scars, like Haru's but far, far old, began to reappear. A wound ran across his face and blood began to ooze into his fur.

Garry removed his long coat and draped it over Haru's shoulders. She didn't have the energy to shrug it off or comment.

"You're not going to just… just give up," she insisted. "You can't. There has to be a way out of this. We can fight or something. We have to."

"If you come anywhere near me, I'll snap the rose," Mary warned again, in that same sing-song voice as before. "Hey, Haru! We could see whether he really does love you! Wouldn't you like that?"

"What do you–?"

Mary ripped another petal out. " _He loves you_ …"

"No…" Haru finally found the strength to stand, grabbing Garry to her side and using him to drag herself onto her feet. The coat almost slipped off her shoulders, but she caught it before it could pool to the floor. "No… Don't you _dare_."

"It'll be fun," Mary laughed. She skipped further away across the room. Any attempt to retrieve the rose would result in her tearing it instantly. "Come on! It'll be a game! _He loves you not_ –"

"We can find another way to do this," Haru pleaded. "We can find a way to make this right. What Guertena did to you… to all his Creations… it wasn't right. But, if you give us time–"

" _He loves you_ …"

"JUST LISTEN TO ME!"

Mary paused in her game. "I don't want to wait," she said. "I want to play. I want to have friends. But Ib's afraid of me now. It'll only be okay if I go to the real world. Everything will be okay then. _He loves you not_."

"No… it won't. You'll have killed Baron – another Creation like yourself – just so you can escape!"

"Why does he get to live in the real world and not me?" Mary scowled. "It's not fair." Her eyes dropped back to the rose and she viciously plucked two petals out instead. " _He loves you_."

"Life isn't always fair, Mary," Haru said. "But you won't make it any fairer by doing this. Please… stop, and we'll be able to help. I promise–" To her side, Baron had stopped moving.

Mary snapped off another two petals. " _He loves you not_." She lifted the rose into the air and stifled a giggle. "Look – there are only two petals left now! It's going to end on he loves you not!" Her giggles turned abruptly into mock solemnness. "You know what that means, don't you? Remember, I told you that there's a way to cheat on this so you always get he loves you…"

Something inside Haru turned cold. "What do you think will happen after you kill Baron?" she asked. "Do you think we'll just let you join us after that? Do you think we'll forgive you?" Her hands balled into fists and, shakily, dropped into the pockets of Garry's coat. Her fingers brushed against something cold and metallic – Garry's lighter.

Wait… Mary's painting behind her…

"I don't want to be left behind!" Mary screamed. "If I let you go, I'll be left alone again! I don't…" Tears flushed themselves past her eyes. "I don't want to be alone again," she repeated, quieter this time.

Haru, who had been inching back towards Mary's empty painting, paused. The grip she had on the lighter loosened. "Mary?"

"That's why… That's why I have to do this!" She tore out another petal, leaving only a single one left on the once-vibrant rose. A single thread of life left for Baron to hang on to. A single chance remaining. "I have to get out!"

"STOP!" Haru flicked the lighter on and held the open flame to the vulnerable canvas of Mary's painting. To her relief, this seemed to have an effect. Mary froze and, for the first time, there was real fear in her bright blue eyes.

"Wait – no–"

"Did you wait when I asked you?" Haru retorted. "Did you listen when I begged you to stop?" She shook her head, tears of her own springing up. "Touch that final petal and I'll make sure you burn."

"You… You'll still be too late," Mary whispered.

Haru's eyes narrowed. "Not if I burn you first."

She slammed the lighter into the painting. The dry, open canvas burst into immediate flame, fire sweeping across the paint and reducing Guertena's last piece to ashes. Mary screamed. She made to snap the rose's stem in two, but her painting's demise caught up with her before she could; suddenly she had dissolved away to leave only the flower in her wake.

"Is… Is she gone?" Ib asked.

"Yes," Garry replied. "I think she is."

Haru dropped the lighter and stumbled over to the unmoving Baron, with Toto and Muta close on her tail. She dropped – almost collapsing in the movement – to his side and rolled him onto his back.

Scars – scars Haru didn't even know he had – were ripped across his body. His chest was barely moving, but there was the faintest flutter of breath escaping through his lips. He cracked one bloodshot eye open and attempted a weak smile. "There. I knew you could do it."

"You're an idiot who almost threw his life away," she retorted. "And for what?"

The smile turned tender. "For you, of course."

Haru choked back a furious laugh; the tears rolling down her cheeks were a mixture of joy and anger. "Let's just get your rose to a vase and get you healed up."

Toto flew over and picked up the rose, dropping it off with Haru. "The burnt portrait has revealed a corridor beyond it," he said. "It looks like the old gallery."

"Then we must be nearly out." Haru tried to help Baron up, but she could barely stand, let alone support another person. Garry came to her side and hoisted Baron to his feet. He kept an arm around Baron's shoulders to stop him slipping back down.

"I'll take him."

"Thank you."

Haru spared a single glance back to the remains of Mary and her painting before stepping through, Ib behind her and Garry (and Baron) bringing up the rear. Beyond the child-like surroundings, the door led them indeed to a room that looked very much like the gallery they had originated in. A vase atop a table sat in one corner, and Haru dropped Baron's ruined rose into its waters. The flower glowed and the petals blossomed back into full strength.

Baron groaned and dragged himself – and Garry – to a stop as the wounds began to close up again. He blinked, and when his eyes opened they were their usual glittering green. He blinked again and the corridor came into focus around him. "Oh, good. The world has stopped spinning."

"It tends to spin when you throw yourself at the mercy of a crazed Creation," Haru admonished him.

He grinned back and eased himself back onto his feet. "Thank you, Garry. It seems I was in no fit state to walk back there." He stepped forward and took stock of the huge landscape painting dominating the wall before them. While the original painting had been a fantastical world, full of swirling colours and dizzying images, this one mimicked the gallery they had originated in.

" _Fabricated World_ ," he read happily.

"There's more," Toto said. "It also says, ' _Once you go in, there's no going back. All your time will be lost. Will you still jump in?_ '"

"How are we meant to jump into a painting?" Muta asked. "Ruddy riddles…"

Haru laughed. "Have you forgotten who you're with? Watch and learn…" She approached the painting and lifted a hand up to the frame. She could feel the portal magic swirling beneath her fingertips; potent and patient and merely awaiting travellers. Her fingers brushed against the glass and the picture began to ripple. "There. See, my magic is good for something."

"Could've done with it being a bit more helpful a _bit_ earlier," he grumbled.

"I didn't see you opening our way home," she deadpanned. "Hey, Ib… Garry… You can go back now. It's safe, I promise. We'll be right behind you."

The two young humans nodded, and Garry took Ib's hand in his. "Come on, Ib. Let's go!"

The Bureau watched them leap back through the painting, disappearing back into the original gallery.

"Do you think they'll remember what happened?" Haru asked. "After all, people usually forget their times in other worlds so quickly and that warning… ' _All your time will be lost._ ' Do you think they'll remember any of it? Will we?"

"'Course we will, kid. That sort of magic don't affect us that well. Not after the number of world-hopping we've done."

"As for Ib and Garry… it's difficult to say," Baron said. "Maybe. Maybe not. Only time will tell." He offered his hand to his companion. "Well, shall we?"

ooOoo

Upon jumping through the portal, Haru found herself standing suddenly back in the original gallery. Standing as if she had never been dragged into another world in the first place. She glanced into her bag – yes, Baron was still there. And Toto and Muta… were picking themselves off the floor. "Did… Did we make it?"

Baron pulled himself to the opening of Haru's bag. "I believe so." He fetched the stone he had shown Haru earlier that day. "And now… it's time to close the painting and withdraw that overdose of Creation magic, unless we want more people to stumble into that world."

He opened the stone up and the blue veins of lapis lazuli glimmered even in the weak gallery light. The painting began to bleed – no, it began to exhale fumes of magic at Baron's call. It swept out of the paint and settled itself into the stone between Baron's fingertips. The aura of magic surrounded the Creation, filling the air about them, and then it was suddenly drawn in. Baron snapped the rock shut, sealing away the power.

"Done."

"That was simple."

"Simple, my ass. Don't you remember anything from that crazy world, Chicky? What part of that was simple?"

Haru shrugged, and at the same time her phone gave a sudden buzz. She jumped – and so did Baron, who was standing right beside it in the bag – and hurriedly retrieved her mobile.

"Oh, snap! I completely forgot about the date – wait… it's still only quarter to four…"

"Some worlds run on a different time scale to ours," Baron reminded her.

"Well, I remember that now." She read the text from Michael, asking where they'd like to meet, since he was already outside. With a doubtful look, she glanced over to Toto and Muta, and was suddenly hit with a startling realisation. She shooed them into a corner and carefully stood in front of them to hide them from any casual gallery-goers; in the same motion she started to call Michael's number.

" _Hello, Haru. Do you know where the gallery is? I can give you directions if you–_ "

"Actually, that won't be necessary. I'm… already here."

" _Oh. Fantastic! Then I'll come and find you…_ " Michael trailed off, abruptly latching on to the guilty tone in Haru's voice. " _What…? What is it?_ "

"Um… I'm going to need a favour…"

There was a long, long pause. " _And if it was any ordinary sort of favour you would have already asked_ ," Michael said slowly. " _So… what is it?_ "

Haru laughed nervously down the line. "I'm going to need your help in smuggling out a cat and crow…"

And, as she began to recount their day's adventures, a familiar girl passed them by. She paused by a large rose sculpture and glanced at a young man in a scruffy coat, as if trying to recall a face from a dream upon awakening. Then there was the call of her mother, and Ib went running.

Garry raised his head and glanced in the direction of the disappearing girl, hit with the strange feeling of familiarity as he heard the name. He watched her for a few more seconds, and then returned his gaze to the rose sculpture, even as the eerie sensation of déjà vu began to fade.

Both found themselves smiling although, if asked, they would not have been able to explain.

"They'll be okay, won't they?" Haru asked. A plan now in the works, she pocketed her phone as she waited for Michael. She watched Garry pull out a sketchpad and start on a few rough drafts. "I mean, it seems so sad that they've forgotten everything…"

"They'll be fine," Baron said. There could be heard a soft smile in his words. "After all, the mind may forget, but the heart will always remember. Perhaps, in time, fate will reunite them again."

 **ooOoo**

 **Inspired by:** _ **Ib**_ **, the game. Created by kouru.**

 **Many thanks goes to** _ **dracocur**_ **for originally sparking my interest in this game and making this case possible. You really had no idea at the time how fitting it was for this series.**

 **While this is a crossover of sorts with** _ **Ib**_ **, I have changed a few things around in order to translate it better from game to story and to better insert the Bureau into the situation. There is too much happening in the game to involve every aspect in this case.**

 **If you are interested in playing the game, it is free and can be downloaded online; it is an indie-horror puzzle-solving game, and (personally) I would not recommend playing it in the evening. But, then again, I am a scaredy-cat.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Next story: A Cat and His Human**

 **Teaser:** _ **She raised an eyebrow and leant away from the complicated calculations. "And… not to be a downer, but perhaps you should be careful. Your spells don't always go as planned." /**_ _ **The person was dark-skinned and well-dressed, with a sharp nose and sharper eyes. / Haru grinned, trying to hold back the laughter to regain what little dignity Baron retained. "You're… You're more kitten than cat. You're so fluffy," she whispered. / "The issue is... oh, I feel stupid even saying this... The issue is that I currently have a man locked up in the library office who claims he's a fictional knight from a book."**_


	5. A Cat and His Human (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 5: A Cat and His Human (Part 1)**

Haru walked into the Bureau to see Baron hunched over his desk, scribbling fresh notes onto a page. She shrugged off her coat and joined him, walking over to the table to see his temporary human spell in pride of place centring the notes.

"Are you still working on that? I thought the problem with it was that you don't have enough magic to sustain a human form," she said, dropping her elbows onto the desk. "What's changed since then?"

"Nothing, as such, but I was just thinking that maybe there's a way to take a… shortcut, perhaps. To cut down on corners and make the spell more efficient." Baron hesitated and passed a rueful smile to his companion. "So far I'm down to two options – gain height, but maintain my feline appearance, or lose the feline aspects but remain at a grand size of one-foot-nothing."

"I've already seen the human-sized version, but I didn't realise you could do the opposite." She grinned wickedly "One-foot-nothing human-you might not be so bad."

"I fail to see how it would be advantageous for any case," Baron replied.

"Okay, true." Haru passed her gaze over the myriad of notes, most filled with calculations and sloping calligraphy. His writing was nearly unintelligible; a common sign for when his thoughts were coming too fast for him to write them down. She raised an eyebrow and leant away from the complicated calculations. "And… not to be a downer, but perhaps you should be careful. Your spells don't always go as planned."

"If you're thinking of the incident with the necklace–"

"How did you guess?"

"Miss Haru, may I remind you that we are all allowed to make mistakes?" he asked, tilting his head as his rueful grin widened.

"Sure, but, you know, my mistakes don't usually end up nearly shrinking someone into oblivion," she teased. "Think about that for a moment."

"And yet you still trust me."

"Yeah. I'm still mystified over that one too. So how is the human spell coming along? You know the only answer is to amplify your power, right?"

Baron sighed and ran a single gloved hand through the fur between his ears. "I'm coming to that conclusion, yes. But maybe if I was to…" His eyes abruptly lit up and he dragged forward a fresh sheet of paper and began to jot down new notes.

Haru rolled her eyes. "Okay, I can see you're not going to be chatting to anyone today." She wheeled away from the desk and shrugged her bag off her shoulder in the process. "To be honest, I just dropped by to return the book I borrowed, and to see if I could possibly pick out another one on my way… You don't mind, do you? I mean, at least with you, I'm not going to get library fines."

"Please, go ahead." Baron waved absent-mindedly in the direction of the bookcases behind him. "If you enjoyed H. G. Wells, I suggest you investigate Wyndham. _The Kraken Wakes_ is a particularly good read. Try the third shelf on the right."

"Ah, found it!" Haru carefully tugged the book free and dropped it into her bag. "Thanks!" She started back in the direction of the Bureau exit, but paused as she reached the doors. "And, Baron? Don't do anything foolish."

ooOoo

"Door, Haru!"

Haru groaned and picked her head out of the book. "I'm reading, Hiromi!"

"I'm doing dinner!"

"Ugh. Fine." Haru slipped her bookmark in and passed the novel onto the coffee table. "I'm going! But this dinner better be fantastic! I was just getting to a really good part!"

"Cry me a river, Haru!"

"My heart, it bleeds at your cruel indifference!"

"Bandages are in the first aid kit!"

Haru sniggered and opened up their apartment door, expecting it to be the postman or someone cold-calling. When it appeared that the person neither had any post to deliver, nor seemed to be selling anything, Haru's grin turned to an expression of wary curiosity. "Uh… can I help you?"

The person was dark-skinned and well-dressed, with a sharp nose and sharper eyes. In his arms was a bundle of orange fur that stirred at Haru's voice. A small cat with startlingly familiar features uncurled itself and gave what Haru could only take to be a sheepish grin.

"Hello, Haru."

Something akin to a hybrid between a laugh and a shriek lodged itself in Haru's through. She quickly covered her mouth to avoid breaking down into a full set of mildly-hysterical giggling. "B-Baron? Is that you?" Her eyes rose to the man holding the fully-feline Baron. "And who…?"

"It's Toto. You may not recognise me because I appear to have changed species…" Toto's voice tightened as he cast down a thoroughly unimpressed look to the cat in his arms.

"Okay, Baron, when I told you not to do anything foolish? This," and Haru motioned to him and Toto, "was included in that. What did you do?"

"Haru! Who's at the door?" Hiromi called.

"Uh, just a friend!"

"Do they want food? I think I might have overdone it on the rice."

Haru looked over at the changed Bureau, her mouth flapping uselessly for a few dubious seconds. Then, once the worst of the shock wore off, Haru gave in to the weirdness. "Are… Are you guys hungry?"

"Starved," Toto said.

"I guess you might as well come in then." Haru turned around and motioned for them to follow her into the lounge. "This is really weird," she whispered, mostly to herself.

"Oh, so you're Haru's friend." Hiromi popped her head into the room, grinning wickedly. "I didn't know she had any others."

"Hilarious, Hiromi."

"Does he have a name?" her flatmate asked. Her grin widened. "Or a voice?"

"My name is Toto," the ex-Creation said. He offered a hand. "I'm just visiting town for a few days."

"Toto?" Hiromi raised an eyebrow. "Is that like a… nickname, or something?"

"It's what my friends call me."

"So am I a friend already?"

Haru made a face and started to motion Hiromi away. "Okay. Hiromi, aren't you meant to be keeping an eye on dinner? We don't want the rice sticking, do we?" She led Hiromi out and firmly shut the door between them. That done, she turned around to face the newcomers with an expression that was as unimpressed as Toto's had been earlier. "Please don't flirt, Toto. It's weird."

"Flirting? I was being polite."

"Just… be careful, okay? Hiromi's quick to jump to conclusions." She took a perch on the old armchair beside the sofa and leant down to get a better look at the now-cat Baron. "So… what happened? I left for, like, two hours, and you turn up on my doorstep like this?"

"I attempted to overcome the limitations of my human spell."

Haru looked over at Toto. "I hate to break it to you, Baron, but I think your spell missed."

"He came up with the concept of sharing our magic to strengthen the spell," Toto said.

"I believed that since we both had Creation magic, that would be similarity enough to avoid too many complications," Baron explained, a tad sheepishly. "It turns out I was wrong. The spell backfired, affecting us both and… well, you can see the results."

"At least it didn't do too much damage. So, what's the problem? Just undo the spell and everything will be back to normal."

"Our magic was mixed in the enchantment," Toto said. "In short, we've contaminated each other's magic and can't easily use it to undo this."

"This isn't permanent, is it?"

"No, it's not permanent," Baron said. "Given time – a few days at most, I believe – our magic should naturally separate and, when that does, we will be reverted to normal. Until then, however… I'm sorry, Haru, but Toto needs a place to stay."

"I'll have to ask Hiromi. You're sure it's just going to be a couple of days?" she asked sceptically. "Because I don't want to turn around and find you crashing on our couch for a month or something. That'll be difficult to explain to Hiromi."

"We're… pretty sure it'll just be a few days," Toto said.

"Pretty sure as in, you have actual evidence to support your theory? Or pretty sure as in, you're just hoping for the best and a few days is an optimistic estimate? Never mind – I know what the answer is." Haru groaned and collapsed back into the armchair, her gaze moving over the human Toto and cat Baron. "This is weird," she repeated. "Where's Muta? You didn't… I don't know… turn him into a bird or something, did you?"

"Muta is back at the Bureau, quite normal," Baron replied, a little miffed at the question. "He's keeping watch in case we get a client."

"And if you do? Then what? Baron, you're a cat."

"This has not escaped my notice. And, for future record, I am a cat under usual circumstances."

"I know, but… look at you, Baron." Haru grinned, trying to hold back the laughter to regain what little dignity Baron retained. "You're… You're more kitten than cat. You're so fluffy," she whispered.

"I am not fluffy–"

"You're a walking ball of fluff, Baron. You're _adorable_."

"Miss Haru, I protest–"

"Fine. Suit yourself. But I'm warning you, Hiromi will want to cuddle you when she sees you." Haru smirked and rose to help her housemate with the food. "So beware."

ooOoo

The next day, Haru awoke to a scream.

She rolled out of bed more on Bureau-implanted instinct than any actual alertness, and soundly smacked into a table in the action. Now far more awake, she gathered herself and stumbled out to the hallway.

"What? What is it?"

She fumbled downstairs to where the screech had been emitted from, and found Hiromi frantically rummaging through the kitchen cupboards. A moment later she withdrew a dustpan and brush.

"Hiromi?" Haru yawned and rubbed at her sleepy eyes. "What's going on?"

"Ask the cat that your friend brought in." Hiromi pointed an accusing brush at the table. "I mean, it's either the cat, or your friend has some really weird habits."

"What–?" Haru followed her friend's gesture and now spotted the dead mouse in pride of place. "Oh, he _didn't_ …"

"You know, I'm pretty sure we're not even allowed pets in the building," Hiromi ranted, brushing the corpse into a plastic bag. "If it's discovered that we kept a cat here, we're going to be in so much trouble."

"I'm sorry, Hiromi. I thought… I thought he was housetrained. This won't happen again."

"It better not. No matter how cute that cat is, I'm not going to put up with dead animal offerings in this flat. Look, I've got to go for a shift at the hotel, so I'll dump this in the bin on the way out, but this is not okay. You got that?"

"Yeah, I understand. I'll talk to Toto."

Haru watched her friend pick up her bag and head out, her irritated mood from her morning surprise following her like her personal rain cloud. Haru released a long, low whistle and turned to the closed lounge door. "Well, that went as well as expected. Hey, Toto? Baron? Can I come in?"

Toto opened the door. "Morning, Haru."

"Wow. Did you sleep badly or something?"

Toto blinked slowly at Haru, as if that could somehow clear the bags under his eyes, and gave a slow, long yawn. "Ask Baron." He turned and dragged himself back to the sofa.

"That seems to be the recurring response today," Haru muttered. She followed him inside and her eyes immediately turned to the ginger cat sitting at the window. "Hey, Baron? Would you care to explain about the dead cat that my flatmate found in the kitchen earlier? Hey, Baron!"

Baron jolted from his watch. "Sorry, Haru."

"Baron. The mouse?"

"Ah." Baron leapt down from the windowsill and landed gracefully on all fours. "I… may be discovering a few feline instincts…"

"May?" Toto released an exhausted cackle at the understatement. "He spent all night coming and going and then, when he finally decided to sleep – at half three, I might add – he decided my face was a comfortable cushion."

"I am sorry, Toto–"

"My _face_ , Baron."

"Anyway, I don't have a shift at the pet store today, so what about if we drop by the Bureau?" Haru suggested. "You know, where I can't get in trouble for harbouring a cat under a no-pet roof. Hiromi was not impressed with your mouse antics. And perhaps we can find a way to reverse this more effectively than just riding it out."

"Agreed."

ooOoo

Given the Bureau's history with bad timing and luck, it perhaps was not to be wholly unexpected that, upon returning to the Sanctuary, they were greeted with the image of a new client. She was a woman of her mid-thirties, kitted in a knitted woollen cardigan and dark blue glasses, with her red hair tied back with a blue ribbon. As Haru and the others entered, the woman turned and bestowed a nervous smile upon them.

"Hello. I was looking for the police station?"

Haru stepped forward and hesitantly offered a hand in greeting. "This isn't the police station, but we're always happy to help. What's the problem?"

The woman glanced over the strange collection of individuals - which currently consisted of two humans and as many cats – and gave a weak smile. "Perhaps you are the people to turn to. It's not as if the police will believe me anyway…"

Haru grinned. "That sounds like exactly the kind of case for us. I'm Haru Yoshioka," she said. "I see you've already met Muta–"

"Hey," he grunted from behind his newspaper.

"–and this is Toto and Baron," she finished, waving to the altered Creations. "We're the Cat Bureau."

"I can see where the name comes from," the woman replied. She finally took Haru's offered hand. "Cornelia Dressler. Librarian. Do you really think you can help?"

"That depends on your dilemma, Miss Cornelia," Baron said. He was still safely stowed away in Toto's arms, which didn't do much to make his appearance any more impressive. "That said, we shall do everything in our power to be of assistance. Speaking of which, what exactly is the issue?"

"The issue is… oh, I feel stupid even saying this… The issue is that I currently have a man locked up in the library office who claims he's a fictional knight from a book."

"Sounds like ya got a loony," Muta scoffed. "Baron, this ain't a case for us–"

"I beg to differ," Baron replied. "The Sanctuary brought you here, Miss Cornelia, and it must have reason for doing so. Lead us back to this library of yours, and let us see this knight for ourselves."

"You… don't think I'm crazy?"

"I do."

"Shush, Muta," Haru ordered. She turned back to their client. "Hey, look around. We're not exactly your ordinary everyday folk. Now, where did you come from?"

Cornelia pointed out towards the secondary archway, where an unfamiliar street lay beyond. "From there."

It took Haru a moment to respond. She merely stared at the strange street set beyond the archway where normally there was the town of her home. "Really." She looked over to Baron, thoroughly unimpressed. "The archway can change locations and no one thought to tell me that?"

"It's a rare phenomenon," Baron said. "It only occurs when the Sanctuary seems to think that there is someone who would not be able to reach us otherwise. Miss Cornelia, please lead on."

ooOoo

"Now… please don't do anything rash," Cornelia said. She paused outside the library office doors, nervously looking over at the Bureau. "He's armed."

"Don't worry, Miss Cornelia. We can handle it." Baron smiled. "Just trust us."

The librarian didn't look particularly appeased. "No offence but… you're a cat. What are you going to do? You're the size of a very small, fluffy melon."

Haru coughed a laugh at Cornelia's summation. She quickly covered her mouth with a subtle hand to hide the smile that was threatening to break loose. "You'd be surprised at what we can do. Do you have the key?"

"It's here." Cornelia handed it over and then wisely took several steps back to give the Bureau a wide berth.

As Haru leant in to unlock the door, she smirked sideways to the cat in Toto's arms. "Oh, stop making that face, Baron."

"What face?" he muttered.

"That sulking face," she whispered back. "You're just upset that your 'just trust me' line didn't work. We all have our off-days."

"Not all of our off-days begin with being turned into a cat."

Haru stopped fiddling with the key, and raised one amazed eyebrow. "Okay, Baron; just re-think what you said with myself and Muta in mind. And, for the record," she continued, "neither of us got turned into cats because we were messing with magic that I specifically told you not to fool around with."

"She's got a point," Toto said.

"I was merely trying to perfect the spell," Baron protested. "I believed it would help my ability to work on cases."

"And your attempts to help always go so perfectly," Haru laughed. She dropped her attention back to the lock at hand, and finally the door clicked open. She straightened and gently pushed the door inwards. "Hello? Anyone there–"

"Aha! So you return at last, you impertinent knave! Have at you–!"

Haru slammed the door just in time for a sword to slam its way into the wood. Haru leant back to inspect the blade sticking out on their side.

"I don't think he's in the mood for talking, Chicky."

"Gee, you think?!"

The blade squirmed in the door, but wasn't pulled back out. Haru heard some rather unusual curses from inside the room as the knight attempted to retrieve his weapon.

"I believe he may have made an error in charging," Baron said. "It appears that the sword is rather stuck."

"I guess now is as good a time as any then?" Haru moved to open the door.

"Are ya mad? Didn't ya see him try to kill you the first time?"

"I _think_ he'll find that killing someone is a little difficult now his weapon is stuck in the door," Haru replied. "I mean, we can go in now, or we can go in later once he's managed to retrieve his sword. What do you want to do, Muta?"

"Okay, sure. But I'm keeping well back."

"Suit yourself." Haru pushed the door open and hesitantly stood in the doorway. "Hello? Are you done trying to attack me now?"

"You puny, fool-born harpy! How dare you entrap Sir Gawain the Dauntless!" In full medieval armour stood a young man who Haru took to be the knight Cornelia had spoken of. His face was nearly red with rage. "I shall make you rue the day you tricked Sir Gawain… as soon as I have my sword…"

Muta peered around Haru. "Who is this idiot?"

"Aha! A talking cat! Enchanted, are ye? Or are ye a witch's familiar, come to take my soul away? No matter! Nothing shall stop Sir Gawain the Dauntless from saving the helpless Lady Elaine!"

"Holy mackerel; I already want to rip my ears off. Or rip his tongue out. Someone stop him before I do."

Cornelia entered the office, raising her hands pleadingly. "Please, Gawain–"

"It's Sir Gawain the Dauntless to you, witch! It t'was you who trapped me in this… this…"

"Office," Cornelia offered. "It's an _office_."

Toto brought up the rear, and he carefully locked the door shut behind him as he did. Now the Bureau and the librarian were alone with the knight.

"Office! Who trapped me in this office of such bizarre creations!" the knight continued dramatically. "What is the box that emits such strange music? And this contraption with its flashing images of such far-away places?"

"Radio, security camera," Cornelia flatly answered. She turned to the Bureau. "Tell me you have a way of fixing this. I can't take any more of his badly-written lines. It was annoying enough when he was just a character."

"What is the story that he came from?" Toto asked.

"This one. _Sir Gawain and the Dragon_." The librarian retrieved a book from a desk. "We've been reading this book for the Lets Read Together sessions we host, and the kids seem to enjoy it, even if it's a King Arthur rip-off populated with characters who have the 3D characterisation of a cardboard cut-out."

"You… do not enjoy this book then?" Baron offered.

"It's literary dribble. And yet, here we are with him." She motioned frustratingly towards the knight. "Of all the characters… Why couldn't it have been Faramir or Alanna of Trebond? Why did it have to be _him_? No offence."

"No offence?" Sir Gawain echoed. He was approximately turning the colour of a ripe tomato, almost comically so. "What, hag, was not offensive about that statement? I am a knight–"

"As you keep informing us," Baron smoothly interjected.

"God almighty! Another talking feline!"

"Why is everyone so focused on the fact that I'm a cat?" Baron muttered. "Yes, I am a cat. Yes, I talk. Can we move on to the more important issues here? Sir Gawain, you do not belong in this world. You belong in the world held in that book." He pointed, as best he could with his newly-acquired paws, over at the novel Cornelia held. "If we can find a way to return you to that world, then everything should go back to normal and you can save this Lady Elaine of yours."

Sir Gawain sniffed loudly as he contemplated this offer. "The cat speaks logic. But how, pray tell, do you plan on returning me to my world?"

"He's got a point," Haru said. "Baron, your magic and Toto's is kind of mixed up at the moment. You can't use it."

"No. But we are not the only ones with powers in this room," Baron said.

Haru paused. "I can only open portals, Baron–"

"Haru, that book is just a portal to another world," Toto said. "The Creation magic must have awoken it and set Sir Gawain out into our world, but you should be able to open it up again and send him back. We have faith in you."

"You have faith in me because I'm the only option you have right now," Haru muttered, but she took the book from Cornelia. "Alright. You – over here." She motioned sharply to the knight.

"I will take no such orders from any wench!"

Haru twitched. "Do you want to go home or don't you? Here. Now."

"I am a knight, foul witch, and I shall only be treated with the proper respect–"

"And I am the mighty 'foul witch' who's trying to send your sorry behind back home!" Haru snapped. "I have taken down kings and monsters and pirates and, so heaven help me, you will treat me with the proper respect that I deserve! Got that?!"

The knight was leaning as far away from Haru as he could without moving his feet. "Y-Yes," he squeaked.

"Good. Now stand over here." Haru opened up the book, while trying to ignore the huge grin Muta was wearing at the knight's humiliation.

"Good on ya, Chicky."

"Thank you. Now, let me see…" She began to flick through the pages, attempting to sense some shard of portal magic that she could awaken to her advantage. That was, of course, assuming that Toto was right and that she could open a way home for Sir Gawain. Otherwise the knight would just have to start getting accustomed to the 21st Century.

As she was over halfway through the book, she sensed it. A spark of magic. Her magic latched onto it and began to expand it out, bringing forth what she hoped was a portal back into the novel. "Alright, here we go…"

The magic flared up against her own and a portal began to emerge at their feet. Haru laughed. "Yes! Score one for me! Am I good or what?" She turned, grinning at the Bureau, only to be met with hesitant expressions and the shuffling of feet. "What?"

"Are you sure you have this under control?" Toto asked.

"Yes. I mean, probably. I mean… why?"

He mutely pointed down to the floor where the portal was rapidly expanding.

"Gah! No, this is not happening!" Haru jumped back and dropped her hands away from the book, but this didn't break the portal. If anything, the portal's spread only seemed to accelerate. "Oh no… No, no, no, no… How do I stop this? Baron?!"

"Now, just remain calm–"

Haru continued to inch back as the portal chased at her toes. She restrained a half-hysterical laugh. "The use of the word 'remain' indicates that I am somehow currently calm. I can assure you that is not the case. Gah!" The portal flooded further across the floor and Haru's left foot sank into its depths. She flung out an arm and grabbed Toto's, nearly dragging him into the portal with her. "Any other bright ideas?"

"Your panic is feeding the portal!" Toto ordered. "If you can bring your magic under control–"

The rest of his instructions were swallowed up by the roar as the portal swamped the entire office and sucked everyone down into the world on the other side.

ooOoo

"Geez, Chicky; great going there."

Haru eased her eyes open to see that everyone – including the whole Bureau and the librarian – had been unceremoniously dropped onto an idyllic-looking field. Further out was a peaceful little village and, beyond that, was a forest that stretched out to the horizon. She blinked again and focused on the large cat that was picking himself up from a clump of grass. "It's not as if I get much practice," she muttered. "I'd like to see you open up a portal or two without making a mistake."

"A mistake?! Look where you've dumped us!"

Haru groaned and pushed herself up. "That… is a good point. Where are we?"

"My home!" There was a clunk as Sir Gawain stumbled awkwardly to his feet, dressed in his armour as he was, and orientated himself clumsily in the direction of the village. "Now I may finally slay the dragon and free fair Elaine from her imprisonment! Fear not, Elaine! I am coming to your rescue!" With a fresh onslaught of creaking, he ran off towards the settlement.

"Thank goodness he's gone," Cornelia muttered.

"I suppose that answers that question," Toto said. "We're in the book."

"Thanks a million, Chicky."

"Hey, in my defence, I did get the knight back home," Haru retorted. "Isn't that what I was asked to do?"

"Yeah, but nobody said anything about coming along for the ride. So what do we do now? Can't ya just zap us back out?"

"And how do you suggest I do that, Muta?" Haru motioned curtly to the field. "I didn't bring the book with me – and, even if I did, there's no guarantee that I would be able to open a portal back home. I can't summon portals out of thin air."

"So we're stuck?" Cornelia asked.

"No – of course not," Haru said. "We'll find a way back out. Baron, what do you think? Baron?"

There was a set of pitiful mewing from the ground. Haru followed after the noise until she found Baron trapped at the bottom of a rabbit hole, blocked by a mound of grass that had fallen in upon their entry into this world.

"Uh… Baron?" She lifted him out and brushed off the worst of the muck.

There was a muffled round of sniggering from the rest of the Bureau at Baron's unexpectedly helpless state, not least of all from Haru. She had to bite back the laughter as she picked a twig off Baron's fur, which the cat was attempting to brush away.

"Please could we concentrate on the task at hand?" Baron mewed. "Where is Sir Gawain?"

"Gone. I got him home, at least." Haru hesitated, and then added, "Although I may have overdone the spell a little." In her hands, she turned Baron around so he could see the medieval village. "Do you have any idea how we can get back?"

"Simple. We are in the story, are we not? All we need to do is wait for the story to finish and then, when the story resets, it should spit us back to the real world."

"How sure are you of that?" Haru asked.

"It's an educated guess."

"So all we need to do is sit out until the story ends?" Muta asked. "Seems easy enough."

"Not quite." Cornelia pointed towards the village. "Altshaw gets attacked by a dragon about two-thirds of the way through the book."

"How far through the story are we already?" Toto asked.

There was a roar and a shadow dropped across the land.

"I'd say about two-thirds," Haru estimated.

The group watched as the dragon flew across the village, emitting a stream of fire over the thatched buildings. Screams began to rise up.

"How… How does the story end?" Haru asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"Oh, Gawain and Lady Elaine take down the dragon. Turns out Lady Elaine has some sort of dragon-taming magic – it's a _deus ex machina_ if you ask me," Cornelia said. She paused and something other than her distain for the story filtered through. "But… it looks like we've just skipped Gawain forward into the story. At this point, he should already have found Lady Elaine and be working with her…"

"So now we have one very angry dragon and no dragon lady," Muta summarised. "Perfect. Look what ya've done, Chicky."

"It's not my fault! I didn't know I'd be messing up the story!"

"We need the story to reach its proper end if we want to leave," Baron said from Haru's arms. "In which case we should track down this Lady Elaine and enlist her aid. Miss Cornelia, you are familiar with the story – where will we find her?"

"In the forest. There should be a castle where the dragon was keeping her captive. When Gawain tries to rescue her, he accidentally wakes up the dragon and, oh–"

"But Sir Gawain skipped that part of the story," Haru pointed out. "So why is the dragon still on a rampage?"

"The story may have tried to continue the plotline in whatever way it saw fit," Baron answered, "regardless of its absent protagonist. I suggest we locate this castle and lady and see about returning the plotline to its proper course."

"If the moron knight didn't wake up the dragon, who did?" Muta muttered. "Oi! Where are you lot going?"

"To the castle, of course," Haru called. "Come on!"

"Actually, we may need to take a detour," Cornelia warned. "It'll be too far to walk there."

ooOoo

At the edge of the burning village, heaving at the locked doors to a set of stables, Haru began to wonder how she got into situations like this.

Oh. That was right. The Bureau.

"Guys, I don't think we're going to be able to break the doors down," she gasped. She slackened her attempts, leaning against the door for a moment.

"Don't stop! We're almost there!" Toto yelled.

"It's a solid door bolted from the other side!" Haru snapped. She turned to Cornelia, who – as one of only three humans – had also been recruited to budge the doors. "Is Gawain's horse really worth all this?"

"Fastest horse in the land," the librarian replied. "Large enough to take three people. You know, cliché stuff. Trust me, we're going to want him."

"If you say so." Haru glanced down and noticed a hole between the bottom of the wall and the ground – probably the work of rabbits or an ambitious badger. "Hey, it's too bad you and Toto aren't your usual selves – you could fit through there easily…" She trailed off as she realised Baron was as small (if not even smaller) in his fully-feline form. A grin began to widen across her face. She turned to the cat. "Hey, Baron…"

He saw the idea forming in her mind. "Haru…"

"It'll be a cinch! You can just crawl through there and undo the bolt from the other side–"

"With these paws?" He held up what had once been his hands, which were now mostly fluff and very small claws.

Muta scoffed. "Welcome to being a cat. Some of us have had to deal without opposable thumbs for twenty years."

"You don't need opposable thumbs," Haru said. "You just need to push the bolt off. Come on, Baron; what other choice do we have? It's not like Muta can fit through. Hey, it's true," she added, even as the fat cat started to complain. "You wouldn't. And don't even try – the last thing we need is you getting stuck."

Muta grumbled, but sat back down.

With the attention turning to Baron, he reluctantly rose to his paws. "Okay. I shall try." He approached the wooden wall and just about squeezed through the gap. After about a minute there was the scrabble of claws from the other side and the thud of something heavy falling away.

Haru tested the doors and they easily swung inwards, revealing the bolt pushed off and Baron swinging on the bars that originally held the bolt.

"See?" he gasped. He scrabbled for purchase, nearly slipping off with his tiny claws. "Easy for a Bureau member such as myself."

"Okay." Haru gently lifted him away from the door and carefully dropped him onto her shoulder. "Better?"

"Thank you."

Cornelia walked past them and approached a huge black stallion. It was indeed probably large enough to take all three humans (and two cats), and appeared to look brooding, even if it was only a horse. All-in-all, it was cliché, but it would be up for the task at hand. Cornelia came to the edge of the box that the horse was situated in and started to unlatch the door.

"It doesn't talk, does it?" Muta asked warily. "'Cause we have enough talking animals as it is."

"Muta, you're one of them," Haru reminded him. Regardless, she was a little cautious, but for quite a different reason. "Is it okay to let him out? I really don't want to get on the wrong side of a horse."

"The story says that anyone with a pure heart can ride him," Cornelia said, making a face as she quoted from the book. "I told you this book was full of clichés." She took hold of the reigns and tugged the animal forward. "Basically, as long as you're not 'evil', he'll be fine."

"Question," Toto said. "Does anyone know how to ride a horse?"

There was a long pause, during which Haru realised this had never been an issue that had arisen before. "Seriously?"

Muta snorted. "Cat," he said, pointing at himself. He motioned towards Baron and Toto and added, "Fancy cat. Stupid crow," in their respective order. "Human transportation ain't really our style."

"Well, there was the car incident…" Baron said, evidently recalling some case that was before Haru's time.

"Yeah, and the fatso nearly killed us when he fell on the accelerator."

"Now is not the time," Haru scolded. She helped Cornelia lead the horse over to a small set of steps, and carefully pulled herself up onto its back. Cornelia followed, leaving only Muta and the human Toto left. "Come on – we need to find this castle."

"You're leading, Chicky? Really?"

Haru leant down and hoisted the fat cat from where he had taken a seat on the box stall ledge. "As the only Bureau member who is human-sized and _accustomed_ to being human-sized, I think I'm going to be our best bet. Cornelia, where is this castle?"

"In the forest. Behind a waterfall."

Haru rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

ooOoo

As promised, the horse was indeed fast. Within minutes they had left the village behind them and were racing through the forest. Cornelia did her best to recall the castle's location from the book but, as it turned out, the waterfall wasn't too hard to miss. Within another five minutes, Haru was drawing the horse – whose name was Shadow, she had been informed – to a halt before the aforementioned waterfall.

"The author didn't like to do anything by halves, did they?" Haru murmured, prompting their steed into a slow trot. She stared up at the roaring waterfall, with the water rushing so loudly that it drowned out the cacophony of the dragon back at the village.

"Just you wait until we reach the castle," Cornelia muttered. "Lava, fire-breathing dragon, etc. That said, the fire-breathing dragon is a bit busy now, so the only thing we'll need to deal with is the lava moat."

Shadow trotted around the side of the waterfall and brought his passengers through the gap between water and rock. As Cornelia had foretold, it opened up into a tunnel of sorts. Up ahead was a glimmer of sunlight that indicated they didn't have far to go to reach this castle – or its moat of lava.

"A lava moat?" Toto repeated. "I don't believe that's even possible."

"Possible or not, it's what the author wrote," Baron reminded them. "So that is what we'll find." He shuffled a little on Haru's shoulder, digging his claws in for balance, and lifted a sensitive nose up to the air. "And we're getting close. I think I can smell it."

As the cavern gave way to a blue sky, the castle came into sight. And, as Baron and Cornelia had warned, so did the moat of lava. Haru pulled Shadow to a halt – although he had stopped pretty quickly upon seeing the boiling moat anyway.

"Fantastic," she said. "Really, authors need to stop putting unnecessary conflict in. Is there a way across?"

Cornelia gave a blunt chuckle. Haru's heart sank into her stomach. "Oh, there is." The librarian pointed towards a spindly, rickety bridge that swung worryingly across to the castle. "That."

"Perhaps you should stay here while we fetch Lady Elaine," Baron started.

"No way. I'm not going to be left out here with the horse. Anyway, Lady Elaine is one of the few characters in this story who doesn't make me want to burn the book. Not that that's saying much – it doesn't take much to rise above the bar that Gawain set."

Haru shrugged as she dismounted and tied Shadow's reins to a convenient tree nearby. "Well, the dragon is already gone, right?" she reasoned. "You're probably safer with us than out here by yourself anyway."

"Man, I hate bringing clients along."

Haru not-so-subtly nudged Muta for his comment. "You brought me along to the Cat Kingdom."

"Not intentionally."

"Even so, I quite enjoyed it."

"Why?"

"I think it's time we got moving," Baron prompted. "That dragon could return here before our business is done if we are not quick." He shuffled about on Haru's shoulder, and this time she felt his claws dig into her coat. "Please be careful upon crossing the bridge."

For perhaps the first time, Haru wondered if he was honestly feeling a fresh kind of fear upon being stuck in a small feline body. "Okay, Baron," she promised. She raised a hand to the kitten and stroked his fur, which was mostly standing on end at the prospect of the lava moat. At the contact, she heard what was probably an unintentional purr.

She decided against commenting on it.

"So, cross the fiery pit, find the lady, stop the dragon, and save the village," Haru reviewed. "We've had busier days."

ooOoo

"Of course," Haru added upon their entry to the highest room of the tallest tower, "we may have a problem if she's already missing." She looked about the room, which was furnished with a bed and a few other home comforts, all befitting a young woman. "Well, this is obviously her room… I wonder how the dragon managed to get a four poster bed in here…?"

Muta ambled in after them, sniffing idly at the air. "Well, there was definitely someone here."

"Can you tell who?"

"Do I look like a slobbering bloodhound to you, Chicky?"

Not at all put out by Muta's response, Haru merely asked again, "Can you tell who?"

Muta made a face at her, but grudgingly sniffed the air again. "Female. Probably about your age, Chicky." He wrinkled his nose. "And pretty sweaty."

"What?"

"The lardball's just making things up–"

"Oi! I'd like to see you try this, birdbrain!" The fat cat gestured sharply behind them. "Yeah, pretty sweaty. Probably from breaking down that door."

As one, the rest turned around to see the door they had entered by. Not that there were any other doors to choose from; even the windows were too narrow to elicit escape. There had been a rather chunky lock on the outside of the door, which had eventually given way after probably much battering of the door. They had been so focused on reaching the highest room of the tallest tower that they had not stopped in their haste to examine the wide-open door.

"It looks to me as if Lady Elaine became tired of waiting for rescue," Baron said. "She must have been the one responsible for waking the dragon and moving the story along."

"So did we come all this way for nothing?" Haru asked.

"She may be still in the castle," Baron suggested.

Muta chuckled and added his own suggestion of, "Or maybe she's already been eaten by the dragon."

"Muta," Haru scolded.

"What?"

"We shall learn nothing more from lingering here," Baron prompted. "It's time we moved–" He hesitated and one ear twitched towards the open door. "Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Haru asked.

"Muta, do your ears detect the sound of… clanging?"

"Why is everyone asking me today?" Muta grumbled, but again he obeyed. "Hey… now you mention it… I can." Upon reaching this realisation, he scooted back behind Haru. "Sounds pretty big."

"That may just be the sound reverberating up the stone steps," Baron reasoned, but he did not sound too convinced by his words either. "Whatever it is, it's coming up the spiral staircase towards us."

"Is it too late to run?"

"The only way to run is back down those stairs, idiot," Toto snapped. "Or do you think your Christmas pudding body is going to fit through those windows?"

As the footsteps ever neared, Haru grabbed a somewhat hefty chair and heaved it before her. "What?" she demanded at the looks she received from the rest of the Bureau for her pains. "I believe in a healthily intimidating first impression."

Cornelia joined her, dragging forward a small bedside table. "I'll second you on that one."

The stranger neared, until eventually their armour-clad form was shadowed in the lone doorway. They pulled a helmet from their head to release a long cascade of golden-blonde hair. Dazzling green eyes blinked wearily at the intruders. A single eyebrow rose sceptically.

"Don't tell me you've come to rescue me."

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"We're going to need to be careful – the underground passages are full of traps. Poisoned arrows, pit traps, even an Indiana Jones-style rolling ball of death." / "Right. So these are the two we need to fall for each other if we ever want to escaoe this story?" Muta asked eventually, breaking the group's silence. "I guess we better get comfortable here then." / The dragon had found a perch atop a strained church tower, its spiky tail curled around the steeple as it blazed fire across the sky. / Haru weighed the helmet dubiously in her hands and glanced over to Baron. "I hope this is going to work, or we're all going to look really stupid."**_


	6. A Cat and His Human (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 6: A Cat and His Human (Part 2)**

The woman, who could only be Lady Elaine, glanced across at the ragtag group with the beginnings of distaste. "Really," she added, "you would have thought my so-called rescuers would look a little bit more the part. Come on – not even a single knight?"

Haru's mouth flapped uselessly but, at Lady Elaine's comment, managed, "Well, we did have a knight, but we seem to have… lost him…" ' _And stole his horse along the way…_ ' her mind added. "Uh… I'm sorry, but we thought you were a damsel in distress?" She glanced briefly to Cornelia who seemed just as shocked at Lady Elaine's appearance. Evidently this wasn't how she went in the book.

"In distress?" Lady Elaine echoed. "What led you to believe that?"

"Uh, maybe the dragon-guarded castle was a clue?" Muta snorted.

Lady Elaine glanced down to the fat cat and, to Haru's surprise, seemed slightly mollified. "Ah, at least you brought along a talking animal. I guess you tried to adhere to rescue expectations."

"Excuse me, but if you're not in distress, then why did you assume we've come to rescue you?" Cornelia asked. "Do you _like_ being kept locked away by a dragon?"

Without humour, Lady Elaine motioned smoothly to the door. "Do I _look_ trapped to you?"

"You're still here," Haru pointed out.

"I was in the middle of rescuing myself, thank you very much."

"And yet, now the dragon that originally guarded you is rampaging the village," Toto informed her.

"Which one? The one to the east with the cute little thatched houses, or the west one with the really ugly modernisation but fantastic firework displays?"

"The… east one…" Haru answered slowly, "but, whichever one it is, it's still your dragon that's burning up the place…"

"I guess so."

"Baron, what do you think – Baron?" Haru twisted her head to view the cat on her shoulder, and then suddenly leant her head further away to get a better look at the feline. The cat in question was frozen in place, save for the alert twitching of his tail. "Baron…?"

Abruptly, Baron leapt from his perch and landed, smack-down, where a shimmer of light was reflected off Lady Elaine's armour.

There was a hallowed sort of silence from the rest of the Bureau as they watched their most dignified member scrabble on the stone floor at an insubstantial slither of light. As Lady Elaine moved slightly, so did the reflection, causing Baron to pounce after it.

"Should we do something?" Cornelia asked, whispering in response to the sudden stillness from the rest. "Like… maybe stop him?"

Haru's hand shot out to halt Cornelia before she could take a step closer to the cat. "Don't… you… dare…" she breathed. Shallowing her breathing to prevent herself from bursting out into full laughter, Haru reached into her bag and withdrew a battered phone.

"Chicky, you're not gonna–"

"Film it? How can I not?"

"He's gonna flip his lid when he finds out," Muta sniggered.

"I think I'll risk it." Rummaging through her bag, she also managed to locate a small mirror. She flipped it open and angled it so that a fresh beam of light was being reflected onto the floor. With pure kitten instinct, Baron leapt after the faster-moving reflection, his every action being caught on camera.

"Hey, Chicky, give me a go with the mirror!"

"No way! Anyway, why aren't you chasing after it?"

"Some of us have had these instincts for twenty years. Now let me have a try!"

"Hey! Don't snatch!"

"Butterball, you've had quite long enough. It's my turn."

"You'll have to catch me first, birdbrain!"

"That shouldn't be too hard."

Eventually, Lady Elaine grew bored of their antics. She stepped forward and swiped the mirror from between Toto and Muta, who were in the midst of fighting over it. "I'm sorry – wait, no I'm not – but... _who exactly are you and what are you doing here?_ "

Haru sheepishly reclaimed the mirror, subtly ending the video recording and dropping both mirror and phone back into her bag. "We're the Cat Bureau. We came to find you to help us defeat the dragon. You know, the one that's currently wrecking the east village?"

"Really? Three strange peasants and two cats came to appeal to me to help slay a dragon?" Lady Elaine said, scepticism colouring her words again. "I've seen more inspiring heroes."

"We're not heroes. We're just trying to help," Haru said.

"Indeed." Baron appeared to have regained his senses and had now rejoined them. At the expressions his remark gained, he said, "I would appreciate it if what just occurred was not mentioned again." He paused, and added, "At least until the case is complete. Then, Haru, I may need to discuss the matter of your phone's contents."

"I'm not deleting the video, if that's what you want."

Toto coughed strategically at this point. "This may not be the time or place to argue this, Baron. We still need to come up with a plan. We still have a rampaging dragon which we need to defeat if we wish to complete the story, and escape."

"Ah, yes. Miss Cornelia?"

The librarian jumped a little at her name. She shuffled about where she stood, pulling her cardigan close about her. "Yes?"

"We need a plan to defeat this dragon. How is it accomplished in the story? You spoke of dragon-taming magic."

"Oh, of course. There's a flute hidden in the underground passages of the castle that should lull the dragon right to sleep."

"Is that it?" Muta demanded.

"How do you know about the enchanted flute?" Lady Elaine asked. "Only the dragon and I know of its existence. Are you a witch?"

"No," Baron quickly assured. "We're only here to help. Do you know where exactly the flute is? The sooner we locate it, the better."

"I am familiar with its whereabouts, but the door has long been locked," Lady Elaine said.

"We shall cross that bridge when we get to it. Lead on."

Lady Elaine glanced sceptically over the group, again, but seemed to somewhat convinced. She lifted a lit torch off a wall bracket. "Follow me."

Baron started after her, but came to a sudden halt when he reached the rather deep stone stairs. "Ah, Haru? I may require some assistance…"

Muta, who was taking ungainly half-jumps down the steps already, glared over at Haru as she picked up the tiny kitten. "How come I don't get carried?"

"You're nearly three times his size and definitely at least four times his weight," Haru reminded him. "I think you can manage."

Muta grimaced. "Hey, bookworm!" he called to Cornelia. "Wanna lend a hand?"

The librarian looked a little confused at being singled out. "Why me?"

"No one else is gonna."

"We've all learnt you're quite capable on your own," Haru chimed in. She slowed to allow Cornelia to catch up with them, glancing back to make sure the other woman was with them. "Hey, Cornelia," she asked quietly. "What's Lady Elaine like in the book?"

"Snarky, but not quite this much," Cornelia replied. "Definitely not wearing armour, either."

"The story probably motivated her to rescue herself in order to keep the plot moving without Sir Gawain," Baron informed them. "How that affects the rest of the story, we can only guess."

"How does the story end?" Haru asked.

"Lady Elaine and Sir Gawain save the day, they kiss, end of story. It's not exactly hard-hitting literature."

"It is only a children's book," Haru reminded her.

Cornelia made a scoffing noise in the back of her throat and they pressed on through the castle. "We're going to need to be careful – the underground passages are full of traps. Poisoned arrows, pit traps, even an Indiana Jones-style rolling ball of death."

Lady Elaine halted. "What was your name?"

"Cornelia Dressler."

Lady Elaine leant over to examine the other woman. "Are you sure you're not a witch?"

"Quite sure."

"Then what are you?"

"I'm a librarian."

Lady Elaine pursed her lips. "You're a scholar?"

Cornelia hesitated. "Let's say yes and go with that."

"Well, then, Scholar, join me and tell me more of what dangers lie ahead."

Cornelia seemed surprised by the invitation, but she didn't refuse it. She shrugged at Haru and eased around her, jogging down the stairs to join the other woman.

"Well, at least Lady Elaine seems happy to talk to someone," Haru remarked. She looked back to the still-human Toto. "Hey, how are you doing, Toto? Got used to having no wings, yet?"

Toto had one hand firmly plastered against the wall as he took precautious steps down. "I vastly prefer flying," he muttered. He glared briefly to Baron. "It's okay for you – you're sitting this one out."

"I protest! I am sitting nothing out–"

"Shush, Baron." Haru petted the tiny cat on her shoulder. "Calm down. It's not so bad being a cat."

Muta sniggered. "I don't remember you thinking that back in the Cat Kingdom."

"I also had the Cat King trying to marry me off. That probably didn't help." She petted Baron again. "Anyway, Baron, you're kinda cute like this."

"I protest–"

"So you said," Toto remarked dryly.

"I resent being so helpless under these circumstances–"

"Right," Muta drawled. "'Cause ya usually so much more useful when ya a cat doll. I can see the difference _hugely_."

"He's got a point," Haru admitted. "Anyway, you helped with getting Sir Gawain's horse. We couldn't have got Shadow without you. You're just still put-out about losing your composure earlier."

"It wasn't funny."

"It was. A little bit." Haru scratched between his ears, eliciting a reluctant purr.

"Haru, I have a reputation–"

"Good to know."

"You!" Their discussion was brought to an abrupt close as Lady Elaine halted and motioned to the strange collection of humans and cats. "We are coming to the underground passages, but you are yet to introduce yourselves. What exactly is a cat's bureau?"

"The Cat Bureau is made up of a collection of individuals who dedicate their time to aiding those in need," Toto explained. "Cornelia came to us when Sir Gawain appeared in her library, and now we hope to help this story come to a satisfactory ending."

"Yes, yes, all a very noble pursuit." Lady Elaine waved away Toto's words idly. "Helping those less fortunate than yourselves, very gallant. But what skills do you possess that would be beneficial to this task? Lady Cornelia possesses foretold knowledge concerning this world, but what good are two humans and as many cats?"

"I got us here," Haru said, feeling a little put-out by Lady Elaine's dismissal. "I opened a portal between our world and yours–"

"Oh, a sorcerer? Very well – perhaps you can transport us to the underground passages."

"I can't do that," Haru admitted, reddening slightly. "I can only form portals from existing, dormant ones."

"What else does your magic allow then?"

"Ah… that's about it."

"How about you?" Lady Elaine motioned to Toto. "Are you another sorcerer? A knight-in-training?"

"No. I am merely an ordinary human for now." His eyes momentarily rested on Baron. "Thanks to a certain someone."

"And… the cats?"

Haru petted the feline on her shoulder, wondering exactly how to explain their somewhat strange situation. "Uh, well, Baron used to be able to use magic – as did Toto – but we, well, _they_ had a bit of a mishap. You see, he's usually a crow, and Baron is usually less… catlike. Sort of." At the looks she received, she sheepishly added, "This is kind of an off-day for us."

"And what about the other feline?"

"Oh, Muta? He's just a cat. Well, he used to be a human, but now he's kind of a cat for good." Not for the first time, Haru wished the Bureau was a little less complicated.

Lady Elaine, however, seemed to be taking this all in her stride – even if Cornelia looked like she was wondering exactly who she had come to ask for help from. However, even if Lady Elaine seemed to believe Haru's rather convoluted explanation, she didn't seem any more the impressed for their backstory.

"Fine. So, let me ask again – what good are you exactly? We have one sorcerer whose magic is void, and three individuals who appear to inhabit the wrong bodies. Not exactly the heroes of legend."

"We can fight," Haru protested. Well, she could, if she could recall much of her lessons. "We can think. We can run. And we're pretty good at improvising."

Lady Elaine raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Fine. You may accompany me, but it is your responsibility to keep up. There is no room for freeloaders here." The lady knight turned and continued through the castle. The Bureau exchanged somewhat rueful expressions.

"Well, I guess that's us in our place," Haru remarked after a moment. She started after Lady Elaine before they could indeed be left behind. "Come on! She said we're nearly at the underground passages!" As she turned a corner, she nearly cannon-balled into the other two humans, who had come to a halt before a wide set of stairs that led down into darkness. "I amend my previous statement. We are at the underground passages." She leant around the other two women to get a better look at the path ahead. "So where exactly is this enchanted flute?"

"Not far," Cornelia recalled. They began to descend, their way lit by the flames of Lady Elaine's torch. "We just need to be careful. There are at least two different traps, and the flute itself is booby-trapped."

"Booby-trapped?" Haru repeated. "How?"

"Have you seen Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark?"

"Yes – oh. Wow."

"Could an explanation be provided for someone who is not familiar with this reference?" Baron asked.

"Uh, she basically means there's going to be a huge rolling boulder that will try to crush us the moment we take the flute," Haru translated. She looked back to Cornelia. "How do they escape in the book?"

"They fall down a hole and end up swept away in an underground river which dumps them outside the village," the librarian answered. "Hey, don't look at me! I didn't write this drivel!"

"With that knowledge in mind, we should be well-prepared for the traps ahead," Baron said. "Miss Cornelia, what other traps lie ahead?"

"Well, there's the pitfall trap–"

There was a scream, and Lady Elaine and her light abruptly disappeared into the ground.

"Hey, calm down, everyone!" Haru went rummaging through her bag and, relying entirely on touch, managed to locate the heavy weight of her electric torch. She brought it out and switched it on to illuminate a perfectly-round hole situated in the middle of their path. "Cornelia, this pitfall trap… it doesn't have sharp spikes at the bottom, does it?"

"No. But it's pretty deep."

"That's fine. I brought rope along." Haru scurried over to the edge and dropped the rope down. After a moment's thought, she threw her end of the rope towards Cornelia and Toto. "I'm probably going to need your help pulling her back up." She leant over the edge and glanced down into the depths – it looked like Lady Elaine's torch had gone out upon falling. "Hello? Lady Elaine? Are you okay?"

There was some clanking, and a shadow moved amid the darkness. With some manoeuvring, Haru managed to shine her torch into the pitfall trap, thus locating a rather frustrated Lady Elaine.

"I will be much better once I am out of this wretched hole," she called up. "Are you going to help, or aren't you?"

"The… The rope's already down there…" Haru said weakly. She shone the torch onto the aforementioned rope. "You're free to climb back up whenever you're ready."

There was a moment of silence, quickly followed by the rope abruptly going taut as Lady Elaine began to pull herself back up. With her armour weighing her down, it took all three other humans gripping the rope to keep it from slipping back down. But, eventually, the lady knight was back on their level.

"Right. So what other traps lie ahead for us?"

"Just one before we reach the flute, and then we have the rolling boulder of death to deal with," Cornelia answered. "We just have to make sure we don't step on a particular rock – otherwise it'll pressure-trigger poisoned darts and, trust me, we really don't want that."

Lady Elaine considered this and then gestured for Cornelia to take the lead. "Since you seem most knowledgeable, perhaps you would be better suited to spotting these traps." She looked back to Haru. "Sorcerer, what is that light you are holding?"

"Oh, this?" Haru recalled – somewhat lately – that she was carrying a torch powered by energy that the book's inhabitants would never see. "Uh… it's kind of a portable magic light."

"You said that your magic did nothing other than open portals."

"Well, yeah, but this isn't really my magic. It works for anyone. It comes from my world where we often… box up magic like this."

"Sounds logical. Well then, onwards!"

ooOoo

With Cornelia watching out for the traps highlighted from the book, they reached the end of the passageway without too many mishaps. Eventually, Haru's light came to shine on the intricately-engraved flute, resting on a predictable podium.

"Right, so the moment we lift it off, we're going to have to start running?" Haru asked, drawing to Cornelia's side.

"I'm afraid so."

"You ready for some more running, Muta?" Haru laughed.

"Why ya asking me?"

"Well, you are turning into an old man–"

"Very funny, Chicky."

"I shall be the one to retrieve the flute," Lady Elaine announced. "I am the one who knows the melody required, and this is my quest to fulfil." She stepped up to the podium, even as the rest stepped slowly away.

"Uh, where exactly was this life-saving hole you were talking about?" Haru whispered.

Cornelia's eyes widened. "I'm not sure. It's back there somewhere – perhaps we should find it before–"

There was an ominous sound from the centre of the room, marking Lady Elaine lifting the flute from its pedestal, much to the horror of her companions.

"Today's just been one aptly-timed disaster after another," Haru muttered. Their surroundings began to echo a rumbling as something huge and rocky rolled their way. "Hey! Everyone! Get running!" Grabbing Baron from her shoulder, she kept good hold of him as she fled back along the path they had come. "Cornelia, where's the escape route?!"

"I'm looking!"

There was a clanking from behind them as Lady Elaine started running behind them. "I have the flute!"

"We know!"

"There!" Cornelia pointed towards a hole at the edge of the passageway, and swerved towards it. With her options either being squashed flat by the rolling boulder that was now hot on their heels, or jumping feet-first into a dubious hole, Cornelia took the latter. Lady Elaine was the next to go, with Haru quick behind her as she snatched Muta up from the ground and threw him after her. She leapt in and landed in a fast-flowing, rather-convenient underwater river. There was a splash behind her as Toto brought up the rear.

In the kerfuffle as the river sped her along, Haru dropped her torch and the route sank into absolute darkness.

"This is ridiculous!" Muta could be heard to shout from ahead – and he had to shout to be heard over the rustle of the river.

"Would you rather be a pancake back there?" Toto shouted back. "Goodness knows it's the only way you'll ever lose weight!"

"Hey, I heard that!"

Haru was less enjoying the water ride. She clutched Baron close to her as her breath caught in her throat.

"Haru, are you quite okay?"

"Ah, dark and enclosed spaces," she gasped. "Not my forte. I'm okay," she quickly assured, even as unease began to simmer in her stomach. "I'm not going to repeat what happened at the shrine–"

"You were almost buried alive, Haru. I think your reaction at the shrine was understandable."

"Uh-huh." She closed her eyes, which didn't make much difference in the pitch-black, except maybe make her dizzier with the rush of the river. The whole scenario really wasn't possible, but they were in a story. Anything could go here. "I'm trying not to think about that too much."

"Sorry."

"I'm just hoping this doesn't last too long."

Baron crawled out of her tight grip and pushed a furry head against her chin, purring reassuringly. He could feel her heart hammering away inside her, and could smell the stench of fear rolling off her, even with the water around them dulling his senses. "You'll be okay, Haru," he promised. He purred again, and was relieved when Haru's heart began to slow. The fear never entirely dissipated, but it remained under control until, at last, there was the cry of, "Light!" from Cornelia.

They rapidly approached the opening until they were spat out into a river that flowed alongside the burning village. A rather soaked and dishevelled group pulled themselves to the shoreline.

"Well, what do you know?" Toto murmured. "It really did bring us right to the village. How convenient."

"Really? It brought us right to the burning, dragon-infested village, and you call that convenient?" Muta scoffed. He shook off the worst of the water, but it didn't really stop him looking like a damp rug. "What's so great about that?"

"We can finally bring this story to an end," Haru said. She helped drag Baron – who was struggling somewhat against the river's current – out of the water and onto the grassy bank. Luckily, her bag was mostly waterproof; she brought out a spare jacket and began to towel down the shivering cat who was too cold to protest. "Now we have the flute, we can stop the dragon, right?"

"It should send the dragon into a sleep that will last a hundred years," Lady Elaine said. "But we must find a way to bring the dragon close enough for it to hear the lullaby."

"I am un-volunteering myself for the role of bait, before anyone can suggest me," Muta was quick to add.

"How is it managed in the book?" Toto asked.

"Sir Gawain battles the dragon, distracting it until Lady Elaine gets close enough to enchant it," Cornelia answered. "But… we've lost Gawain…"

"That doesn't matter," Lady Elaine ordered. "I can battle the dragon and draw it close enough to send it straight to sleep. Now, does anyone have a noble steed that is suitable for just such a battle?"

"Oh!"

"Shadow!"

As one, Haru and Cornelia recalled Sir Gawain's horse, which had been left all the way back at the dragon's castle. There was no way they were going to be able to go back and fetch it now.

"Shadow just turns up in the book again," Cornelia said. "Plot hole, if you ask me–"

"In the book, we also should have Sir Gawain to help," Haru reminded her. "I think we're going to have to start derailing from the book. The story ends with them defeating the dragon, right?"

"Ah… It ends with Sir Gawain and Lady Elaine admitting their love," Cornelia answered. There was a long, long pause. "The last line actually focuses on their first kiss." She looked to the Bureau with a sinking expression. "Perhaps I should have remembered that before now…"

"Even if we could find Sir Gawain," Toto said, "we cannot force two people to fall in love."

"Our first priority is to stop the dragon before there really is nothing left of the kingdom," Baron spoke up. Haru had finished towelling him dry, which had left him a rather fluffy furball of orange. He stoically ignored his current appearance and clambered onto Haru's knee to make up for lost height. "Stopping the dragon may be enough to send us back, if we are lucky. We no longer have Shadow, but we may be able to locate another horse in the village…"

Before he could finish, there was the sound of galloping hoofbeats coming their way. And then, appearing like the plot hole he was, Sir Gawain rode up to the grassy bank, riding atop the lost Shadow. "Ah, fair Lady Elaine!" he cried. He slipped off his horse and bowed low before the woman. "It is I! Sir Gawain the Dauntless, come to rescue you!"

"A little late, if you ask me," Cornelia muttered.

"Lady Elaine, it is a pleasure to finally lay my humble eyes upon your enchanting beauty!" Sir Gawain stumbled out of his bow and attempted to kiss her hand, only to finally realise she was wearing a full suit of armour. For the first time, he seemed thrown-off his usual script. "Lady Elaine… Why art thou dressed as a man?"

Now it was Haru's turn to scoff under her breath. "She's not dressed as a man," she said. "She's dressed as a knight."

"Sir Knight, I see you have a noble steed?" Lady Elaine didn't deign to answer Gawain's question, instead focusing on the large black stallion standing in the background. "I require use of your horse."

"I – what?"

"I require your horse."

Sir Gawain abruptly rose back to his feet, blanching slightly. "Shadow cannot be ridden by merely anyone! Only the pure of heart–"

"I am Lady Elaine the Fair; I am aptly qualified to ride such a steed. I require it to vanquish the dragon that is terrorising this village."

"I… No."

"No?"

"No." Sir Gawain was turning an interesting shadow of beetroot at Lady Elaine's demands, as he took a stand between her and his horse. "I cannot allow such a… a fair… uh, maiden to endanger herself by battling such a foul beast."

"Was I asking for your opinion?"

"Uh, no, but – hey! Leave my steed alone!"

"You do not seem to be using it right now."

The remaining group was left standing on the sidelines, watching as Sir Gawain tried to drag Lady Elaine away without laying a hand on her, which – he was discovering – was rather difficult.

"Right. So these are the two we need to fall for each other?" Muta said eventually, breaking the group's silence. "I guess we better get comfortable here then."

"As long as we bring the story to a satisfactory ending, we may still find a way to leave. And, if we don't," Baron added, "then we will have to go on a quest for an item in this magical world that will return us home. With Haru's portal magic, it will not be impossible."

"Yes, but I have a life and taxes that I need to get back to and pay," Haru idly reminded them. "Some of us don't have the luxury of freeloading in a miniature off-set world created specifically for us. Plus, no one except Michael know what I do in my free time," she added. "They're all going to hit the roof if I don't return home…"

A memory abruptly struck Baron – a meeting with a future self who had warned that one day that exact situation would occur. His mouth turned dry from the thought. "We shall do our best to make sure that never happens, Haru."

Something in his tone must have betrayed his unease, for Haru took a moment longer to look down at the cat on her knee. "Baron?"

"I shall always protect you, Haru."

A nervous little smile spread across her face, and she dropped a hand to scratch him between his ears, earning a reluctant purr. "Thank you, Baron. And I, you."

"Oi, googly-eyes – aren't ya forgetting the huge-ass dragon burning down the village?" As if to support Muta's point, there was a roar as the dragon – which was still flying over the settlement – released another wave of flames over the village. The village was still somehow intact (if burning), but now they were back on the scene, the situation seemed to be worsening.

"We probably should get on that," Haru admitted. She lifted Baron to her shoulder, where he quickly made himself comfortable. She looked over to the two characters, and saw that Lady Elaine had claimed Shadow and was sitting atop him, much to Sir Gawain's horror.

"Lady Elaine, I must protest–!"

"Protest all you like, Sir Knight, but I care not."

"Sir Gawain. It's Sir Gawain."

"Fairwell, Sir Knight. I must be off to slay the dragon you have failed in slaying yourself. I doubt our paths will cross again. Scholar! I will require your assistance!" She motioned for Cornelia to join her.

"Oh. Okay." Cornelia took the offered hand, and was pulled up onto the horse, blushing slightly. Once Cornelia was seated, Lady Elaine prompted Shadow into a sudden gallop, and cantered off towards the burning village, thus leaving the Bureau and Sir Gawain behind.

"We are usually much more useful than this," Haru murmured after a moment. "This really is an off-day for us." She turned and saw that Sir Gawain had taken a seat on the grassy bank, looking so miserable that Haru would not have been wholly surprised if blue depression lines were cast over him.

As things stood, she merely knelt down near the knight and patted his shoulder semi-encouragingly. "It's okay…"

"What am I if I cannot protect even a single fair lady?" he lamented. "What is my purpose?"

"Uh, well, knights are meant to protect those weaker than them, right?" Haru asked. She wasn't entirely sure whether that was true, but it probably worked out in this story universe. "So perhaps Lady Elaine isn't someone you need to protect–"

"But she is a fair maiden–"

Haru resisted the urge to slap some sense into the man. As things were, she gave in to a heavy eye-roll. "And she's pretty strong, too. She wouldn't have busted out of the dragon's castle, otherwise. There's no harm in admitting that someone is stronger than you. Life isn't a competition."

"But what am I to do?" he wailed.

"Go and help those who need help. I expect there are plenty of people in the village who need help right about now," Haru reasoned. "They matter too, right?"

Sir Gawain pursed his lips together as he contemplated Haru's words. "I suppose the peasants _may_ require some assistance…"

"Please slap him, Chicky," Muta sniggered, seeing the murderous intent in Haru's eyes. She nudged at him as a warning to shut up before she gave way.

"I'm sure they do," she replied instead, gritting her teeth to avoid snapping anything she might regret. "So why don't you run along and do that?"

He eyed her cautiously. "You give sound advice for such a foul witch."

"'Foul witch' me another time, and you'll find I give sound slaps too," Haru growled. "Get going."

Perhaps sensing he was pushing a limit, he clanked to his feet and indeed disappeared in the direction of the village. Haru groaned and rubbed tiredly at her forehead. "Why do I always have to deal with the nutcases?"

"Right, so… now the crazy lady is off to fight a dragon and that flouncy knight is gone, can we just wait out here?" Muta asked. "It ain't like we've got a lot to do. Might as well camp out here until the story ends and we're spat back out into our world, right?"

"Usually, I would be tempted to agree," Baron said. At Haru's raised eyebrow, he went on to elaborate. "What I mean is, considering our situation in a story, I would usually advice that we kept our involvement to a minimum, to avoid sending the story on another course–"

"Which we have already done," Toto said.

"Sorry about that. I didn't realise I would mess things up by dropping Gawain into the wrong part of the story," Haru apologised. "Then again, it would have been a lot easier if I hadn't dropped us all into this mess in the first place…"

"What's done is done, Haru," Baron assured. "There is nothing to be done by lamenting the past. Our only option is to look forward and tackle what's ahead. Given our involvement in the story so far, it may be wise to keep a close eye on the story events, to make sure nothing more goes… astray…"

"Ya mean go towards the horrifying, fire-breathing flying lizard."

"That is precisely what I mean."

"Oh, jeez. Oi! We're not going now, are we?" Muta demanded, even as the rest of the Bureau started towards the terrorised village. "Can't we wait a little longer? Give that lady a chance to charm it first? Hey, don't leave me behind!"

As dragon-knight showdowns went, the scenario they soon found before them was somewhat predicable. The dragon had found a perch atop a strained church tower, its spiky tail curled around the steeple as it blazed fire across the sky. One would have thought that it would have run out of fire, or enthusiasm, by now, but it appeared to still be going strong.

And, in the shadow of the church, there was the form of Lady Elaine atop Sir Gawain's borrowed steed.

As the Bureau edged around the remains of a stone wall – all flammable substances had long burned away – Cornelia came scurrying towards them. It seemed she had declined the offer of being too close to the action.

"Oh, good. You got here!"

"So it seems. What's going on?" Haru asked. "Shouldn't Lady Elaine be enchanting it to sleep right about now?"

"It's not paying her any attention," Cornelia said. "We've tried everything – clanking pots, shouting, even throwing a few things its way. But it just won't even look her way. She needs it to be listening – or, at the very least, much closer – when she plays the flute."

"Much closer?" Muta echoed hoarsely. "You want that monster _closer_?"

"If we don't do anything, it's just going to sit up there all day and spew fire over the village," Cornelia said, ignoring Muta and the fact that most of the village was already in shambles. "In the book, Sir Gawain attracts its attention, so perhaps this isn't going to work without him…"

"What does Sir Gawain do in the novel?" Baron asked.

"Clanks about a bit, really," she said. "But Lady Elaine can't move around too much or she won't be able to play the flute. Is Sir Gawain with you?"

"We sent him off to help the villagers," Haru said. "We thought it would be a good idea. Sorry."

"Oh."

Baron sat on Haru's shoulder, watching the scene play out before them. They hadn't seen the dragon quite this close before, but there was something familiar about its form. There was an almost feline element to its design, even in the way the tip of its tail twitched. He glanced back to the exhausted Lady Elaine, and an idea of sorts came to mind. "Miss Cornelia, we're going to need to borrow some of Lady Elaine's armour."

"What?"

"I echo that statement: What, Baron?" Haru twisted her head to stare over at the cat. "What are you thinking? None of us are able to fight a dragon, Baron–"

"I know, and you won't need to. We just need to attract its attention…"

ooOoo

Haru weighed the helmet dubiously in her hands and glanced over to Baron. "I hope this is going to work, or we're all going to look really stupid."

"Given the fire-breathing dragon atop the church, I think that will be the least of our problems. Ah, Toto has moved into place – now, Haru."

Thinking that they had nothing to lose, Haru stepped out of the shadows and raised the helmet above her head. In the glimmering sunlight, the helmet cast a reflection down across the village square. On the other side of the plaza, Toto raised the breastplate up and caught the light on the metal piece too, while Cornelia sent reflections by way of a gauntlet.

The roaring stopped. Haru flicked the reflection further across the square, making it jump to and fro across the ground. "If you jump after it, Baron…" she whispered.

A stream of fire smashed into one of the reflections, and then curved round to hit the other two. Haru leapt back, nearly dropping the helmet in the process. She felt Baron's claws bite through her coat.

"No fear of that happening," he murmured. "Quick! Keep moving the reflection!"

Shaking, Haru raised the helmet again, catching the light a second time and sending it scattering on the ground. On the other sides, Toto and Cornelia also hesitantly resumed.

There was the sound of cracking cobblestones as the dragon landed right on top of Haru's reflected light. It slammed a paw into Cornelia's light, but – of course – there was no impact. The dragon circled round and chased after Toto's light, becoming more and more confused as the lights continued to evade its claws.

"Lady Elaine, now!" Baron cried.

From the shadows of the church, Lady Elaine brought the flute to her lips and began to play. A simple, clean melody rang clear from the flute, caressing the ears of all who heard it.

The dragon halted in its frenzied chase and turned to face the woman. Eyes narrowed in her direction, and the beast began to twist round to approach her. One huge paw stepped towards her, and then another. Lady Elaine began to play faster, even as the dragon's eyes started to droop.

It dragged another foot her way, but there was a definite heaviness in its movements now. It shook its head, as if to shake away the fog of sleep, but it couldn't resist the enchanted flute's melody. Its mouth opened up and smoke began to curl at the edge, but then it gave way to a yawn that swallowed back the fire.

"It's... It's working," Haru whispered. "Given our recent luck, I wasn't sure…" She lowered the helmet in her grasp and stared as the dragon staggered slowly towards Lady Elaine.

Just as it was nearly on top of her, the music won the creature, and the monster toppled solidly onto its side. The ground rumbled with the impact, but now – finally – there was silence across the land.

The dragon was defeated.

And… the Bureau were still there.

"I hate to be a downer," Muta said, as the Bureau reconvened, "but ain't this the point where we're meant to go home? This doesn't look much like home."

"The kiss," Haru groaned. "That's how the story ends."

"We can't just wait for Lady Elaine and Sir Gawain to fall in love," Toto said. "If they ever do."

"Agreed. We shall have to find another solution," Baron said. "Perhaps Lady Elaine will know of some item or magic that enables one to travel between worlds?" They looked over to the lady knight and saw her in bright-eyed conversation with Cornelia. A knowing smile twitched at his lips. "Although… perhaps we shall not have to resort to a back-up plan."

"It worries me when you make that expression," Haru murmured. "Even as a cat."

"This is my normal expression."

"No, it isn't. That's your 'I've just come up with a fantastic plan' expression. Tell me, did you make that face when you thought of a way to power-up your temporary-human spell? You know, the one that left you as a cat and Toto as a human?"

"I think it's time we congratulated Lady Elaine," Baron said quickly.

Haru rolled her eyes, but did approach the other two woman. Lady Elaine and Cornelia were admiring the felled dragon as they spoke, Cornelia kneeling down by the creature's head and prodding at the head's horns.

"…just unlike anything I've ever seen," Cornelia marvelled. "No one at home would ever believe this if I told them…"

"That's assuming we're ever gonna get home," Muta snorted as he came close on Haru's heels. "Baron's plan fell through. Looks like we're stuck here."

"No, we're not," Haru said, scowling at the cat. "We'll find a way home."

"The plan didn't work?" Cornelia asked.

"Are ya deaf?"

"It looks like we didn't bring the story to a satisfactory ending," Baron said, steamrolling over Muta's mocking tone. "But, do not fear, we have been in many worst situations before. We shall find a way home. Perhaps you can aid us, Lady Elaine."

"Of course." Lady Elaine smiled sadly, too solemnly for someone who had just rescued a village from a dragon. "I had forgotten you had travelled here from another world. Of course, you must find a way home. I have heard tell of a genie in the west that grants the wishes of whomever possesses its ring – perhaps they will be able to take you back."

Cornelia slowly stood up, dusting off her clothing in the action. "Well, it's not so bad. This place is pretty nice… well, now it hasn't got a dragon about. I wouldn't mind staying for a little longer."

"If you decide to stay for good, you shall find a place here," Lady Elaine promised. "You shall always be welcome here." The woman hesitated, and then, added quietly, "I've known so few people – well, none – during my time guarded by the dragon, but I am glad I met you, Lady Cornelia of Dressler."

Cornelia blushed, turning a deeper red than her fiery hair. "Thank you. And… out of all the stories I could have fallen into, it could have been a lot worse. I take it back what I said about this book. Well," she amended after a moment, "not all of it. But I'm glad the author wrote you."

"I do not fully understand what you mean, but I understand the sincerity in your words. Are you sure you must seek a way home?"

Cornelia's blush deepened. "It's my home. I have my family, and my friends, and my work…"

"Of course." Suddenly, Haru was aware that Lady Elaine was beginning to redden also. The lady knight tugged at her collar, as if it could hide her embarrassment. "Lady Cornelia of Dressler, it has been a pleasure to meet you." She bowed and echoed a gesture of a bygone time when she placed a brief kiss upon Cordelia's hand. "I truly hope we meet again."

With a blur, their surroundings dissolved away and reformed as the library office where they had started out. Everything was as it had been left, and, in fact, the clock showed that they had only been gone for ten minutes.

"As it turns out, the story merely required a kiss to finish," Baron said, breaking the silence with his smug proclamation.

"That was a wild guess, Baron," Toto said.

"An educated guess."

Haru picked Baron off her shoulder, gently setting him down on a desk, and approached the other young woman who had been transported back with them. "Cornelia?"

Cornelia, however, was merely lightly touching the kissed hand while her face coloured with a returning blush. "Oh, drat," she said. "Now I have another literary crush."

"The book is still here," Baron said. He padded the covers of the novel with his paw.

"Haven't ya had enough of that book?" Muta snorted. "We've just lived it!"

"The story within will now tell the story that we created," Baron said. "Only this copy, however, but it will forever mark the actions of today."

"Wait, so we're in it?" Haru asked. She grinned. "That's cool."

Cornelia picked up the book and flicked through it. Haru looked over her shoulder, spotting their names turn up in the print again and again, recapping their little adventure. The occasional picture occupied a page, capturing in inky quality their story. And, on the last page, was the final image of Lady Elaine kissing the hand of 'Lady Cornelia of Dressler.'

Cornelia smiled to herself. "Now, this is a story I'll enjoy reading to the kids."

ooOoo

As things often went, the Bureau returned to normal quickly. Within a day, Baron and Toto's magic had separated out again, rendering them back to their original forms, much to the relief of the both of them. Baron agreed to be more cautious with his spells in future, although Haru couldn't help wondering how long _that_ would last.

"I finished it!" Haru swung into the Bureau several days after everything had cleared up, a book in her hand as she swept in through the doors. She stopped by Baron, who was in the middle of preparing a fresh batch of tea.

Baron smiled. "Ah, yes. How did you enjoy _The Kraken Wakes_?"

"It's more digestible than H. G. Wells, and I liked how it occurred over many years," Haru said. "I mean, I couldn't get all the references, because its, like, fifty years old–"

"Closer to sixty."

"Ah, well," Haru said with a wicked grin. "Some of us aren't old enough to have lived through that era. But, hand on my heart, I liked it. Do you have any of his other books?"

"Try _The Day of the Triffids_." Baron turned back to his tea, trying to work out whether the new blend would work better with lemon or milk. "Have you seen Muta? I believe he was at the Crossroads earlier today."

"Oh, we met coming back. He's just reading the newspaper out on the bench," Haru answered. She browsed through the books until she came to John Wyndham's other novels, returning _The Kraken Wakes_ and taking out _The Day of the Triffids_.

Baron, with his back to her, heard the rustle of pages, which then gave way to silence.

Scheming silence.

It was the kind of silence made by someone who was trying to make no sound at all. However, Baron had not been leading the Bureau for so long without learning a few things along the way. He slowly lowered the tea and started to turn. Haru's name was already halfway uttered when his gaze descended on a red spot on the carpet.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, hidden behind years of respectability and tea-making, basic instinct came rising back up without so much as a 'please' or 'thank you'. He felt the feline cogs whirr away in his mind.

' _No. I have a reputation. I am civilised. I…_ '

The dot flashed across the floor, skittering about by Baron's feet. He knew what it was – of course he did, which somehow made the situation so much worse – but he could not override the instinct howling away inside him.

' _Dammit_.'

He pounced. Not subtly, either. One moment he was standing making tea – as any respectable, half-cat, immortal doll would – and the next he was on all four paws with the dot dancing merrily between his gloves.

There was the beginning of laughter. Well, howling, really. It was not dignified laughter by any stretch of the imagination. Then again, he had no room to comment. With a sinking heart, he looked up to see not only Haru, but also Muta, watching him.

Haru had a laser pointer in her hand and was giggling uncontrollably. "Pay up," she just about managed to Muta. "You lost."

Muta reclaimed the last slice of cake from the cupboard and passed it over to her. "I don't even care. That was too funny. Wait until birdbrain hears what he missed."

Slowly, Baron rose back to his feet. A kind of hallowed silence enclosed the Bureau as he dusted down his suit and reclaimed his fallen hat. The hat was firmly returned to his head. "This…" he said calmly, too calmly, "will never be spoken of again."

Unsurprisingly, Haru avoided the Bureau for a week after that.

 **ooOoo**

 **Inspiration: _Inkheart_. Written by Cornelia Funke.**

 **References:**

 ** _The Mummy_. Directed by Stephen Sommers. **

**_Tangled_. Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. **

**The last scene is partly a homage to InkyManipulations' story:** _ **The Incident**_ **. It can be found in my favourites, and is a TCR oneshot story that is WELL worth reading.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Next story:** _ **The Prison.**_ **Written by KuraiArcoiris.**

 **Teaser:** _ **Awkwardly holding the box in her arms, Haru stared after the stranger, his dark suit already darkening as he turned the corner. Her gaze dropped down at the unassuming brown package and Haru knew one thing for sure. She wasn't giving the box to Mr. Banner. / An instant later, Haru was left staring at the empty spot where Baron once stood. / "Baron's out there somewhere, and somewhere for us is so much bigger than somewhere for everyone else," Haru said. "How are we supposed to find him?" / "But Baron, you are hopeless, you know that?" Louise warned with a smile. "Even if people are in need, as you put it, they do not need your help. It will only make things worse for those around you." /**_

 _ **A little boy with a newsboy's cap stared at the silent Baron with interest. This one would be particularly hard to break.**_


	7. The Prison (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N:Today's case is brought to you by a guest writer - the lovely KuraiArcoiris. I have been hugely privaleged to work alongside such a talented writer, who has brought such a fantastic story to my series.**

 **Cat.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 7: The Prison (Part 1)**

 **Written by:** **KuraiArcoiris**

The rain pounded outside of the windows of the shop as Haru leaned against the counter. Everything was rather quiet inside the shop, even the animals. Apparently the pounding rain had sapped their energy as much as it had Haru's. She wished she had brought a book to read. All her normal tasks around the shop were done, and now she would probably be waiting for another hour and a half with nothing to do but stare out the windows. She couldn't even look forward to conversation until her shift was over since Michael was out buying supplies and Hiromi wouldn't get off work until after she did. And she highly doubted a customer would be coming in this kind of weather.

The bell above the shop door tinkled, and Haru immediately straightened. A tall man in a long coat stood in the doorway carefully shaking a black umbrella. Haru stared at the man for a moment longer than polite before making her way over to him.

"Good afternoon, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I believe it is I that can help you," said the man with a wide grin that caused every goosebump to rise on Haru's flesh. Dark grey eyes grinned into hers. "I'm making a delivery."

"Oh? The owner didn't tell me we were expecting any," said Haru backing away as casually as possible. The store didn't get packages. Not through the front door. Mr. Banner usually received them at the back door, or Michael would go and fetch them himself.

"As I heard tell, a business partner sent the surprise," said the man, and Haru noticed his words sounded like he was trying very hard to sound native when he was a foreigner. He certainly looked like one. Haru forced herself to relax. Maybe the man was telling the truth and simply was new to town and didn't know about the backdoor. And maybe she should angle herself closer to the horse whips. He stepped forward and deposited the package in her arms before she could get closer to the equestrian section. He gave her a strange salute. "Have a good day, ma'am."

Awkwardly holding the medium-sized package in her arms, Haru stared after the stranger who walked out the door without grabbing his umbrella. His dark suit was already darkening as he turned the corner. She stared down at the unassuming brown package. Haru knew one thing for sure. She wasn't giving the box to Mr. Banner.

ooOoo

The usually squabbling could be heard as she carried the box into the Refuge. The insults ceased flying as both insulting and insulted parties turned to stare at her.

"Hey, Haru," said Toto, seamlessly untangling himself from the argument to greet her. "We weren't expecting you until later, and especially not in this weather."

"Yeah, the rain just let up a couple of minutes ago," said Muta, sinking his body into a sitting position.

"Baron kicked us out the moment it stopped because this sorry excuse for a lard ball wouldn't let him concentrate," said Toto.

"Yeah? And your annoying tweeting didn't distract him?"

"If you would have kept your giant trap shut—"

"Take that back, birdbrain!"

"You need new insults, you uncreative ball of fat!"

"Why you—"

"I think that is more than enough you two," said Baron as he stepped out of the Bureau. His posture was stiffer than usual, and his face was pinched with annoyance. His features softened a bit as he looked at Haru. "You've been at it for more than three hours. Besides, you are ignoring Haru in favour of your bickering, and she appears to need our attention. Haru, what are you doing here at this time? You told us you wouldn't be done with work for a few more hours."

"Yes, I did," said Haru as both her and the package shrunk to Baron's size. She touched the necklace around her neck gently, grateful that its magic shrunk her and the package. She had purposefully left the umbrella in the entrance to the Sanctuary since she didn't want test its ability to shrink along with the box. Getting squished by one thing was bad enough. "But I closed up the store early. I'll explain to Michael and Mr. Banner later, but I thought it was important to get this here."

"What is it?" asked Baron, glancing at the box in her hand.

"I don't know. But the man who brought it was… weird. And it feels weird too. So I brought it here. It's better to be safe than sorry, right?" said Haru, walking past Baron and into the Bureau with plans to place the box on the table. She looked over her shoulder as Baron and the other two followed her in. "You can check it for anything dangerous, can't you? Just in case the man wasn't telling the truth. I mean, he could just be a weird foreigner who just moved here, but with us, it never seems to be just a coincidence with us, so…"

"I will check it over. As you said, with us it is rarely coincidence," said Baron as he neared the table.

"Thank you, Baron. I'm worried I'm being just paranoid, but I'd rather be sure," said Haru. She caught sight of the back of the Bureau. Papers, files, and books were strewn about along with empty and half-filled boxes and shelves. She shifted her grip on the box. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Just Baron's annual reorganizing," said Toto.

"He gets a little annoyed when he's interrupted," said Muta as he crossed his paws. "At least he does when we do it."

"It is hardly good manners to leave a lady waiting, Muta," said Baron. He stepped forward to take the box from under Haru's hand, but she moved it away.

"I'll bring it back tomorrow, then," said Haru. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Haru, this is urgent. That can wait. A quick check won't take too long."

"Fine," said Haru, still keeping the box out of reach. "But then you have to let me help."

"With what?"

"That, of course," said Haru gesturing the mess of documents and pulling the box further away.

"I appreciate your offer, but it isn't really fair since you would have to help me for hours in return for a few minutes of my time."

"Considering I probably came in and made you lose your train of thought, I think it's fair enough. Besides, those are records of all your former cases if I'm not mistaken. I think it'd be fun to go through those. Unless you have something in there you don't want me to see?"

"I have no secrets from you, Miss Haru, but I must insist on helping you without receiving anything in return," said Baron.

"And I insist in helping you in return. So I guess we're at an impasse."

"Apparently."

"Why doesn't Chicky just open the box and let us see what's in the box, and then you two can continue with your lover's quarrel."

A blush decorated both Haru and Baron's cheeks to differing degrees, but Haru quickly recovered.

"You do know that curiosity killed the cat, Muta?"

"Considering that Baron's still here, I consider that saying's invalid."

"Considering your big mouth, I consider everything you say invalid," said Toto.

"That's it, I'm feeling like chicken stew tonight!" yelled Muta as he leapt at Toto.

"Well you're going to have to find one then, because I'm a crow not a chicken," Toto yelled back as he jumped back in a flurry of feathers and out of the Bureau. Baron sighed as Muta followed Toto outside and the near-unending bickering continued. The gentle-cat turned to continue his discussion with Haru when he noticed she had opened the box. His fur stood on end as he felt the magic drifting from the opened box.

"It doesn't look dangerous," she said quietly as she reached into the box and pulled out a bouquet of single-striped cloth lilies. "They're beautiful."

"Haru!" shouted Baron as he snatched the bouquet out of the surprised girl's hands. An instant later, she was left staring at the empty spot where Baron once stood.

"Baron," whispered Haru, hoping that her eyes were fooling her. Her call went unanswered.

ooOoo

The shaking did not wake Baron pleasantly, but it did wake him. He blinked as he looked into familiar blue eyes. His own widened as he stared into them, shocked at seeing them so close and alive and _real_. But he quickly narrowed his gaze in confusion. Why would it be surprising to see his fiancée's eyes?

"Baron," sighed a sweet voice in a feminine version of his own accent. "Why do you always insist on doing this to yourself?"

"Doing what?" he whispered in a hoarse voice. He pulled himself off the floor and nearly groaned as pain battled with soreness up and down his back. His attention was briefly caught by a pile of lilies that lay crushed beside him, but his fiancée quickly stepped into his line of vision again.

"It never goes well, so I don't know why you insist on poking your nose in other people's business," said the dazzling white Half-Cat bent over him. Her vivid blue eyes glazed over as she stared at something over his shoulder. "And it almost couldn't have gone worse this time."

Baron followed her gaze to a black Half-Cat he was sure he was sure he hadn't seen before. The black Half-Cat held his head in one hand and barely responded to the full grey Cat on the tall stool touching his face. A flashlight was being shone into the Half-Cat's unfocused eyes by a young woman.

"What happened?" asked Baron, straightening himself and dusting himself off, fully intending to make his way over to offer whatever help he could. Gloved hands grabbed his arm.

"Stay here," she said. "He probably won't want to see neither hide nor fur of you for a while. Or drive a carriage, I expect."

"Carriage?"

"I suppose you took a hit to the head this time," continued the white Half Cat with a resigned air. "For future reference, your attempt to keep cats from getting run over ended about as well as your attempt to help kittens down from trees."

"A cat was run over?" asked Baron, quite alarmed.

"No. And it was never going to be run over. There was, however, a traumatized carriage driver who had to swerve out of the way to keep from running over a reckless, somewhat well-meaning Half Cat."

"I suppose that 'reckless, somewhat well-meaning Half Cat' comment would be referring to me."

"Unfortunately, dear, I am. You caused the entire carriage to turn over. Thank God there wasn't anyone inside."

"I should go apologize," said Baron making to go over to the fallen Half-Cat.

"Neither hide nor fur, dear," Louise gently reminded him as she held fast to his arm. She firmly but kindly led him away. "Doctor Thomas already wanted you to go get your head more thoroughly checked."

"Considering my lack of memory, going in for some tests sounds like a fine idea."

"I don't think he meant the same tests you do, my dear."

Without further argument, Baron allowed Louise to lead him away from the white room that had to be an infirmary. He struggled to remember how exactly he ended up in this situation or anything leading up to this moment. Perhaps because of the accident or something else, he could not remember anything past Louise. A vague image of brown eyes flashing away from something and towards him interlaced deep soul-filling panic and unexplainable affection that teased the edges of consciousness, but he couldn't grasp anything more of the memory. Seeing as the eyes were brown and not clear blue like Louise's or deep blue like the black Half-Cat's, then perhaps the memory was a bit older and therefore harder to reach. His mother perhaps? But he didn't have a mother. Did he?

The two Half-Cats finally arrived at a familiar grey, green-trimmed house, and Baron stared at in relief. He had recognized and remembered this place. This was his home. He even recognised the houses surrounding it. But… He glanced at the woman dragging him towards it. Why did he feel like she didn't belong there? Again, the almost memory of brown eyes nudged its way forward as did blurs of cream fur and black feathers.

Meanwhile, the white Half-Cat dragged him into the house, and Baron's thoughts were interrupted when she sat him down in his chair.

"Baron, I know you hate it when I do this, but we need to talk," said Louise remaining standing and fiddling with her gloved hands. "I was serious this time. This getting involved in other people's problems isn't... well, I think it has been well proven by this point that these… attempts ever end well."

"But I have always preferred a life of sticking my nose in other people's problems," said Baron, another vague image – or rather feel – of a sword and amusement mixed with slight admiration and that persistent image of brown eyes.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, but I understand, Baron, I do. However it would be one thing if you _asked_ people before you got involved or if you made a reasonable plan, but the way you go about it only ends with people hurt, so the best solution would be to cease helping all together."

"How can I ignore someone who needs assistance?"

"By remembering that people get hurt when you 'help,'" said Louise. "And since you lack some of your memory at the moment, I will gladly remember for you. First, there was the incident with the kitten. You managed to climb the tree well enough but your weight caused the branch holding the kitten to snap. Poor child was recovering from various broken bones for months. And then that time with the Count's lost watch. You found it only after burning a whole wing of his manor. And the time we went to the seaside and the woman was drowning…"

The words seemed to fade as the brown eyes beckoned him to an image of them wide in terror and a wide fin and barrel all-too close, an almost gigantic human male screaming with a wildness to his movements, those brown eyes again drowning in pain and surrounded by scarring fur... How could fur be scarring? For some reason, he didn't want to recall or know why. How could he helping anyone have caused such a horrifying vision?

"Are you listening?"

Baron's attention snapped back to the female Half-Cat. He started to open his mouth, but the other Half-Cat cut him off.

"Never mind. I know you weren't. Baron," she said in a sigh, "I'm only telling you this so that you won't end up hurting someone and regretting it for your entire life." Gloved hands reached up to stroke his furred cheeks. "I love you too much for that."

When the sparkling blue eyes looked into his own, Baron pushed back all thoughts of those haunting brown. He placed a gloved hand over the one of his right cheek, sure of one thing.

"I know. But I cannot ignore those in need."

"I know," she echoed his words as she drew nearer. The motion should have caused him to draw closer, but those brown eyes would not be pushed away so easily. She noticed his hesitation and drew no closer, instead starting to speak again. "It's one of the reasons I love you so much. But Baron, you are hopeless, you know that? Even if people are in need, as you put it, they do not need your help. It will only make things worse for those around you."

"I must always try."

"Then I am afraid you will have to learn the hard way, dear. And all I can hope is that you will not suffer too much from it." Louise removed her hands. "And that no one else will."

Baron said nothing. Outside the window, a little boy with a newsboy's cap stared at the silent Baron with interest. This one would be particularly hard to break.

ooOoo

"Calm down," Toto said trying to unruffled his feathers. "Okay. Let's try again. What happened?"

"I don't know!" cried Haru. "He was here, and then he wasn't!"

"Calm down, Haru," Toto repeated. "We're just trying to help."

Muta grunted in agreement. Their argument had been interrupted by a scream the likes of which Muta hadn't heard since the Cat Kingdom incident. He'd forgotten what a pair of lungs their Haru had.

"I know, I know," said Haru, taking deep breaths. "It's just… I don't know what happened. I took the flowers out of the box and then he grabbed them out of my hand and disappeared into thin air."

"So you've said," said Muta. "Honestly, I don't know why Birdbrain asked for you to tell us again. It's not like the story's going to change into one where Baron doesn't disappear."

"I thought she might have something to add," said Toto. "I'm only trying to help, Pig-Cat."

"Overgrown chicken."

"Unimaginative fatso."

"Why you idiot Bir—"

"Enough!" said Haru, her volume rising enough for the threat to be made clear. "We're never going to find Baron like this!"

"Find him? Chicky, Baron's been in tougher scrapes. He'll be back soon enough. Baron knows how to take care of himself."

"I know that," snapped Haru. She took a deep breath. "Sorry. I don't mean to be so short. But how can you be so calm? Baron's out there somewhere, and somewhere for us is so much bigger than somewhere for everyone else. How are we supposed to find him?"

"First, somewhere is the same size for everyone, it's just that we know exactly how big 'somewhere' is. Second, are you going deaf? I said that Baron knows how to take care of himself. He'll figure out how to get back to us on his own."

"So we're going to wait around for Baron to come back on his own?"

"It's worked for us before," said Muta with a shrug.

"Baron has disappeared from time to time. He's always made it back in one piece. Don't worry so much, Haru. Trust Baron," said Toto.

"I can't believe you two," Haru growled, her voice not raising but lowering. "You say Baron's your friend. Your best friend! And you're just going to leave him to fend for himself?"

"We already told you, Chicky—"

"Don't you Chicky me, Muta! When you were missing, Baron didn't stop searching for you. And I doubt he would for you either, Toto."

The stone crow fluttered his wings in an embarrassed manner while the fat white cat grunted.

"Do you really want Baron to come back from who knows where, assuming you're right and he does, to find us all here twiddling our thumbs? What are we going to tell him? That we knew he was going to make it back so we didn't even try looking for him? Can you honestly tell me that in any of the other times that Baron took off, you didn't have some idea where he went or why?"

"He does usually leave a note," Toto admitted. "But Baron's been capable of taking care of himself long before he met any of us."

"Well now he has us to help take care of him too. So are you going to help me find Baron or not?"

"Fine, Chicky. We get the idea. We'll help you find Baron if only to shut your trap."

"Good," said Haru. She looked at the mess in the back of the Bureau. "And I have a good idea of where we can start. Baron recognized those flowers and grabbed them out of my hands, so maybe something in his files can tell us what they were."

Quickly, Haru waded carefully through the strewn papers and books and started to pick some up. The other two exchanged glances.

"Looks like that didn't work."

"What did you think was going to happen, you dumb pig-cat? You thought that she'd hear that Baron could take care of himself and leave it at that? Even you aren't that dumb."

"It was worth a try, you overgrown pigeon. Whatever took Baron isn't going to be nice, and he wouldn't want her dragged into it. He did push her out of the way."

"Yeah, but keeping Haru out of the search was never a real option. We've simply have to keep her out as much trouble as we can."

"'Cause that's easy."

"Whatever whispered argument you guys are having over there, you can have it later. Get over here and help already!" called Haru, the files in her arms threatening to spill back onto the ground.

"Yes, ma'am," the two said in perfect unison. Exchanging one more glance, they called a wordless truce. They doubted that Haru would be as forgiving of their squabbles as she usually was, and they both didn't like to bleed from their ears.

ooOoo

Baron's hand rose to his smarting cheek as the beautiful black-haired woman marched away.

"What happened this time?" asked Louise as she took her place by his side.

"All I did was pick up her handkerchief," said Baron, still confused by the turn of events.

"Did she drop it near another man?" asked Louise.

"She might have."

"Then it wasn't meant for you to pick up," said Louise. She sighed quietly as Baron's ears tilted the slightest bit downwards. A small smile crossing her face, she said, "Thankfully, I didn't have to use any of those kind of methods to catch your attention. Being made for one another does have its perks."

"I was only trying to help," Baron defended straightening himself.

"And I've warned you repeatedly not to." Her eyes flicked towards a woman glowering at them from the corner. "I had hoped after this morning, you would have finished for today."

Baron followed her gaze and flinched.

"I have already apologized repeatedly to Lady Rei. I did not mean to expose her undergarments to the whole street, only help her up."

"This is why I want you to stop. You mean well, but sometime good intentions do not translate into good actions. And in your case, all the good intentions in the world do not change the fact that you shouldn't help."

"I cannot—"

"You cannot ignore a person in need. So you've said time and time again," said Louise. She met his gaze only for his eyes to look quickly in another direction. Another human woman had drenched herself in liquid, and Baron's hand inched towards his handkerchief. His hand was soon caught in a far daintier one. "But enough is enough for today. Don't you think?"

"I hardly see how offering a handkerchief would cause any harm."

"Why don't you watch then," said Louise. A human man stepped forward and offered a handkerchief. The woman blushed and took the offered handkerchief. "See. As I said, I am glad I didn't need such methods, though that looks entirely accidental. Sometimes, you have to let actions take their course without meddling."

"I see," said Baron, allowing his arm to drop. "Though I am certain that is not always the case."

"In your case, it is."

"We'll see," said Baron as he watched the other gentleman escort the drenched lady out of the room. For a moment, he had thought he had recognized the woman. Maybe she had been the nurse with the doctor from the carriage incident? And why did he feel like she reminded him of someone else? Light brown hair and honey-coloured eyes… or were they light brown? The dark brown eyes that lurked in the back of his thoughts returned to the forefront, and a wrongness that continued to reappear filled him, a sense that his very life wasn't what it should be. Or could be. He pushed the thoughts back.

"Baron, are you all right?" asked Louise.

"I'm fine. Would you like me to fetch you a drink? You haven't had much to eat since this morning, and the dinner part of this party doesn't seem to be starting any time soon."

"I appreciate the thought, Baron, but I will go get my own drink. I meant what I said about enough being enough. But I would very much enjoy a dance when I return."

Baron managed a smile at the request, although the brown eyes continued to exert their presence in his mind.

From the corner of the room, a child dressed in fancy dinner clothes and a child's riding cap sat. He stared and shook his head as Baron moved towards a blond Half-Cat struggling with moving a pianoforte from a corner. As Baron helped the Half-Cat lift the pianoforte, the Half-Cat lost his balance, and the pianoforte landed on the blond's foot. Baron quickly made his way around the instrument, but the blond pushed him away and in so doing twisted his ankle. Before Baron could do anything else, Louise appeared and caught his arm and dragged him away. Again, the boy shook his head. He didn't want to take more drastic measures, but apparently this Baron would learn no other way.

ooOoo

Haru rubbed her forehead as she picked up her 33rd file. She skimmed through it, and as she did so, a brief smile came to her face. So Baron had cases like this one too. After reading about aiding successions and corralling monsters and discovering lost histories, it was fun to read about how Baron had helped a girl find her lost guinea pig. She giggled at the side note that guinea pigs did not make good mounts.

"Find something interesting, Chicky?"

"Nothing of use, Muta," said Haru, putting the file on the already-read pile. She slumped further into her chair as she grabbed another pile from the to-read pile. "These files would be more interesting to go through at about any other time, but right now, it's just frustrating. Even if Baron wasn't in the middle of reorganizing, I can't figure out what method he was using. None of the files were by year or alphabetical order—"

"Actually, they are in alphabetical order," interrupted Toto as he placed another file in the already-read pile, "by their titles in German. Baron's first language is German."

"German? But all of these are in Japanese," said Haru.

"That's where you're wrong. The files are in German, but you're reading them in Japanese because the Sanctuary is helping you."

"Oh," said Haru. She already knew that the Sanctuary's magic helped her with understanding and speaking other languages. Why not reading them too? "Did either of you find anything useful?"

"Nothing. Though I finally figured out what happened that time we had an unscheduled lunar eclipse," said Muta. His muzzle wrinkled. "He's such a show-off sometimes."

"He's a show-off a lot of the time, but that doesn't help us find him," sighed Haru as she set down a file describing an underwater fortress that kept getting infested with air bubbles. Not one mention of flowers. Let alone single-striped lilies.

"You should call it a night, Haru," said Toto. "We'll keep searching through the files, and I'll come get you if we find anything."

"No," said Haru firmly. "I'm not leaving until we find something."

Half an hour later, Haru's head and arms lay spread on the cluttered table. Carefully, Toto placed the soft throw over the sleeping girl. She showed no sign of disrupting the papers, so Toto didn't feel the need to move her from her slumped position between the couch and table that had her cheek pressed to one of Baron's many files. The crow worried that if he tried to move her, she would wake up and insist on continuing to look through the files instead of sleep.

"She's going to wake up with quite the pain in the neck," grunted Muta softly.

"Yeah, but at least she'll get some sleep. She's going to burn herself out," replied Toto just as softly.

"I don't want to be the one to tell her, but this is going nowhere," said Muta. "Those things are endless and I can't understand half of what Baron was writing about. I don't think he meant for anyone but himself to read those things."

"Maybe he meant for someone closer to his intelligence level to read them," said Toto, not resisting the opportunity. A sharp glance from the fat cat who quickly gestured with his eyes to Haru caused the crow to shift in slight embarrassment. He couldn't believe the ill-tempered cat had to remind him of their truce. If anything, it should be the other way around. Coughing a bit, Toto continued, "Baron does like to be overly detailed sometimes. The simpler cases without too much magic involved are easy to read, but even I can't understand most of his explanations."

"And looking for someplace that Baron talks about flowers in all that gibberish is like looking for a yellow needle in a very boring haystack. Baron doesn't mention flowers unless they have to do with a spell or are part of the problem. And it's usually roses or poppies or even those stupid talking flowers."

"So you're saying we need a new source of information," said Toto putting a wing under his beak.

"If that's what it takes to stop reading Baron's show-offy writing."

Toto opened his beak to comment on Muta's choice of words, but Haru shifted slightly and ended his comment before it began. Instead, another idea took root.

"Where's the box the flowers came in? I have an idea of who could help us."

ooOoo

Haru groaned as she lifted her head off the file she had yet to finish reading. Blinking, she registered the sunlight streaming in through the windows. In a slight panic, she searched for the clock on the wall.

"Ten thirty! Muta, Toto, how could you let me sleep this long?!"

"Easy. You didn't fall asleep until five in the morning. I don't know how you think you're going to help Baron on less than six hours of sleep in the last three days, but I can tell you you're deluding yourself."

"I'll get some sleep when we get Baron back."

"Seeing as you just got up, he'd better get back in the next fifteen hours."

"Muta, are you reading the paper?"

"I am," said the fat cat folding back said newspaper to get a good look at Haru. "So what?"

"You're supposed to be looking through these files!" said Haru, her volume slowly rising. She gestured wildly at the stacks of files sitting in front of her. "Why are you reading the newspaper!? And where is Toto?!"

Haru's breaths came out ragged and thick as if they were losing the fight to keep from becoming sobs. Haru dropped her head into her hands as she half-slouched over the files she had fallen asleep on.

"Who am I kidding?" she whispered. "We've been looking through these for days, and I can't understand half of what Baron put in here. Magic's so confusing."

"That's what I told Birdbrain. That's why the feather duster's out. He had an idea of who could help us find Baron."

"Really?" said Haru lifting her head from her hands.

"Really. He went to see if the guy had any way of figuring out where Baron is."

"When will he be back?"

Muta shrugged. "Sooner or later. But by how fast Birdbrain left, it shouldn't be long."

"Not long indeed," said a voice from the door. "In fact, he has already returned."

A somewhat familiar figure stood at the entrance to the Bureau. Haru stared at the short man (who was weirdly only a quarter of an inch taller than her current height) for full minute before her foggy, tired mind finally registered who he was.

"You're Toto's creator, aren't you? Professor Pit or something…or was it Dr. Ninibrik?"

"Both are practically correct," said the man. "I go by Professor Pipt nowadays, but I was once known as Dr. Nikidik. Toto told me of the good Baron's disappearance, and so I made haste to come over and help you. I even brought an… acquaintance of mine."

"After all this time, I am still merely an acquaintance, am I? I was having tea with your family when young Toto came to call," said a female voice. It oddly reminded Haru of a bell in an almost literal way.

"I do not recall inviting you," said Professor Pipt.

"But your 'son' did, in a matter of speaking. She said she was going to visit, and I came along. I could hardly leave my newest apprentice alone, could I?" continued the female voice as a woman (taller than the man but still around Haru's height) with long rich, red hair and bright, blue eyes. Her white dress sparkled and added light to the room. Haru knew her Wizard of Oz enough to know who this was.

"Glinda the Good?" Haru whispered.

"That's right," said the gorgeous woman. Her hands clapped together as she grinned widely at Haru nearly blinding her. "It's such a pleasure to meet you. I've heard quite a bit about you, and I've wanted to meet you for the longest time."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," said Haru still dazzled from the woman's—sorceress's entrance.

"You're such a sweet girl, aren't you? I'm glad I came. It's not like Pipt here could have come here any other way."

"Because someone sealed my magic," the professor grumbled.

"And someone withheld the location of the heir to Oz, so I believe we are more than even," answered Glinda without losing her smile. "Now, let's get to finding the lost Baron, shall we?"

"Of course," the professor said above a grumble as he stepped further into the Bureau followed by the dazzling vision of a woman.

"Haru, are you all right?" asked Toto.

"Yeah, I think so," said Haru as she rubbed her eyes.

"Sorry about the unexpected guest," said Toto as he perched himself on the second story balcony. "With a little help from Jules, I went to see if Dr. Nikidik could help us out, but Glinda the Good wanted to come too. And as you can see, it's not like I could stop her or would want to for that matter. She's the greatest magic user of multiple dimensions. If anyone could help us find Baron, it's her. However, her effect on the unprepared mind is a bit… disorienting."

"Disorienting's one thing, but that lady's another," muttered Muta.

"I heard that," called Glinda over her shoulder as she examined the box the lilies came in. She flipped it around two times before turning to face the Bureau agents. "Well, it's a good thing I came. This is some foul magic."

"Foul?" asked Haru nearing the impressive sorceress.

"Yes, foul," said Glinda wrinkling her nose and holding the box as far from herself as possible. "Wicked magic always has a foul feel and scent. A person's intention always mixes itself with the spell. Not everyone can notice it, but I can. And it was a specifically aimed spell too. It would only effect one person, which in this case was your Baron. Hm… tricky thing. Doesn't want to let me know where it took him… It's one of those taking here-there spells like the ones on those useful silver shoes. But it smells so bad I can barely get a… Aha!" The box bounced a bit in her hand, startling Haru into jumping a bit back. "You can't hide it from me! I'm not Glinda the Good for noth—oh dear. It's taken him there."

"There? There where?" asked Haru. Not-as-bright blue eyes turned to her, and Haru's stomach lurched and dropped.

"To one of the few places I cannot send you. I had hoped to make a here-there spell myself and send you to wherever you wanted to go as a thank you for all your help with Ozma and an apology for not coming to the aid of your friend. I was otherwise occupied at the time, you see. But whoever set this spell send him to a place no one has gone since before I was born, and believe me dear, that was a long time ago. I was warned of the place myself when I was just a child and trying out my here-there into different dimensions. Usually, it's impossible to get there, but this spell was made using Creation magic, as in magic used by Creation. And that kind of magic is, if what I heard about this place is correct, quite compatible with that world."

"How so?" asked Haru, though Glinda was talking almost faster than Haru could follow.

"I would explain but time is of the essence now that we know where he was sent. I'm afraid if you don't get to him soon, you might not get to him in one piece," said Glinda. Haru's face paled, and Glinda waved the hand holding her wand in what she probably meant as a reassuring way. "In a manner speaking, I mean. Anyway, I'll have to cast a here-there spell to take you to another place instead. Straight to Absolem for you. Now remember, ask him about CAP and for the ring. Demand it really, since he owes you that much now. Got that?"

Haru stared at the glamorous woman, and the word "no" formed in Haru's mouth. _Time was of the essence_ … Haru squared her shoulders and nodded. She understood enough for now.

"Send me to Absolem."

Glinda smiled. "You are quite something, aren't you dear? If you had been around several decades back, perhaps my little windstorm would have blown your way. Oh well. Here you go."

A wind suddenly whipped around Haru and made her increasingly glad she hadn't worn a skirt to work today. Or rather yesterday. Before she could give her wardrobe choice another thought, she was gone.

"What did you do?" demanded Toto. Honestly, the whole conversation had gone at such a quick speed, he had barely gathered his thoughts together quickly enough to frame the question. A discreet glance at Muta confirmed that the white cat was reeling from the onslaught of information and words too. Toto took note. Blackmail for later. The greatest sorceress to ever grace the Land of Oz tucked her wand away and gave the Creation a secretive smile.

"I sent her to Wonderland, of course."

ooOoo

Orange-furred ears lowered further as the grey-striped Half-Cat's tirade continued.

"—you do know that we almost lost three firemen trying to get you out. And you nearly died yourself! I don't care if you thought you heard yelling, you do not run into a burning building. You allow us professionals to do our job!"

"I think he understands," said Louise from where she stood at his side. "Now, if you'll excuse us. He needs to do come with me to check on some wedding details."

"Wedding details? Are you getting married to this madcat?" demanded the fire chief.

"Yes, I am," said Louise drawing herself up to her full height. "He is a good cat, if a little bit too well-intentioned."

"Well make sure he doesn't go running into anymore fires to save little boys screaming in an entirely different building! And what if the boy had been in there? We would have had to split our attentions between saving the boy and saving this imbecile here."

"We are aware," said Louise. "And he won't go running into any more burning buildings, right Baron?"

"I will endeavour to stay away from fire of any sort," said Baron. Louise took and squeezed his hand. His wildly beating heart reduced its clutch on his chest, and his frenzied mind calmed at Louise's understanding smile. For an instant, the background memory of brown eyes pushed its way forward, but he pushed it back equally hard. He could not bear to think about how those brown eyes seemed so much truer than Louise. The comparison did not do him nor Louise any favours. And they weren't real. Instantly, his heart hesitated a beat. Why did they feel more real? More real even than the fire that licked at his fur and the smoke that crawled up his throat.

"Baron," said the white Half-Cat's soft voice. Baron realized he was still staring into her blue eyes. She had lead him away from the burnt building. "Please, listen. You need to stop putting yourself into these situations."

"I thought I heard someone screaming from inside the building. The firemen were nowhere close. I could not allow them to burn," said Baron.

"And you nearly burned yourself in the process. I know you're not overly fond of fire, but you jumped in anyway. Your bravery is commendable, but it was reckless. No one was in the building, so you faced fire for no reason. Please try to save the bravery for when you really need it."

"Like when?"

"Like when you have to greet all those people at the wedding reception. Or when you stand at the altar and see me coming down the aisle," said Louise. Baron gave her a weak grin.

"I doubt I'll need much courage for that."

"I should hope not," said Louise with a grin of her own. Suddenly, the grin gained a fragile bitter edge, and then disappeared altogether as Louise placed her head on Baron's shoulder. Her unsteady breath whispered near his ear, "Please, Baron. Please, stop this."

His arm automatically circled her shoulder. Her arms wrapped around his chest in reply.

"Why do you insist on doing this? Sooner or later, it will cost someone dearly. And I am worried that it is going to be me."

"No, my love," said Baron, barely having to put any effort into pushing the brown eyes away. He squeezed his fiancée harder in an effort to keep his heart from aching and dropping to his shoes. "I won't let that happen."

"If you really meant that, you would stop trying to help others," said the white Half-Cat, nuzzling her head into the side of Baron's neck. Soon, they were sitting on the couch of his home. "Why do you insist on trying to help? None of your attempts truly help people."

A flash of kitten brown ears, a small pink nose, and wet, terrified brown eyes followed by those same unforgettable brown eyes over a very human smile… And words so muffled he could barely hear them. And then his own from a time and place he couldn't bring to mind.

" _If you find yourself troubled by something mysterious or a problem that's had to solve, there's a place you can go where you always find help. You just need to look for it."_

"Because I made the decision long ago to always be there to help when I am needed," said Baron, those words seeming truer than anything solid in this life of his. The flash of images replayed in his mind. "And because, on occasion, I can make a difference."

A hoarse bark of a laugh coughed into Baron's shoulder.

"When?" The question came out harsh and rough, and the hands gripping his suit coat grew sharp. "When have any of your attempts to help gone well?"

Baron opened his mouth, but it remained silently and gapingly open. He could hardly put a flash of images into words. And he was reluctant to share them, even with his fiancée.

Unseen on the counter of the kitchen, a boy with a deerskin cap clenched his small fists. For the first time in eons, he regretted what he had to do before he did it. But he had to do it regardless. He had tried almost everything else, and the Baron had been warned. He hopped off the kitchen counter and ceased to exist. At least in physical form.

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"To be honest, releasing him is impossible, but then you appear to be the same." / "What makes your friend dangerous?" / "Finally, remember this if nothing else girl: Be careful. Nothing there is real. Nothing, except those trapped there and it." / "Why do you do it?" she asked. "Why do you keep helping when you know you're so bad at it?" / And then his eyes were drawn to a young tan Half-Cat staring blankly in the corner. He would have let her be, but her eyes… they were brown. Those brown eyes. / "What about her?" yelled the Half-Cat. "Did you know the carriage would miss her too!?" / "What have you done?" whispered Haru.**_


	8. The Prison (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 8: The Prison (Part 2)**

 **Written by: KuraiArcoiris**

As she opened her eyes, Haru noted two things. One, the place she was in looked slightly familiar. Two, she was currently still only a foot or so tall.

"It's that strange weed again," said a voice to her right. A human-faced scruffy dogrose leaned forward to glare at her. Oh. She was back in Wonderland. "And it's taller now."

"How do we get rid of it this time?" said a somewhat familiar spindly tulip.

"No need to get rid of me, I'll get rid of myself as long as you tell me where I can find Absolem," said Haru. The dogrose humphed and crossed two of its leaves.

"And why would you need to know where Absolem is? Are you going to go grow near him, weed, and strangle his mushroom's roots? The mushrooms would get you first, you know."

"Look, I just need to talk to him. It's urgent. A friend of mine's in trouble, and if I don't hurry, he'll… he'll…." The words died in Haru's throat. Glinda had said that he might not be figuratively in one piece, but what did that mean? What was happening to Baron?

"He'll what? What's wrong? Pollen in your stem?"

"Oh, I know what happened to it! My seedmate said that's what happens when you start a lie," a poppy said. "You get pollen in your throat and can't finish it."

"I'm not lying! I need to talk to Absolem or something bad's going to happen to Baron! So just tell me where he is!"

"It's mouthy for a weed, isn't it?" said the dogrose.

"Yes, and rude," replied a daisy. "But then all weeds are. Just tell it where Absolem is. Let him deal with it."

"Fine, I'll do it," said the tulip. It pointed with a leaf to a small path not too far from the flowers. "He's down that way, or that's the way he went last time we saw him. Off with you, now, weed. And do try to keep from tying up anyone's roots."

"Thanks," said Haru with a short bobby bow as she quickly ran off down the path. She could hear the flowers starting to discuss whether or not she really was a weed or not, but she ignored them focused on finding Absolem. If what they had said about mushrooms was correct then there was one person, or rather insect, he should be.

Haru quickly found herself in a very shadowed area full of mushrooms, as she expected, and any other time she might have stopped to gape at the beautiful sight. The mushrooms ranged from the size of her leg to ones several times her size. Her current size, anyway. And the colours… Some mushrooms were black, white, and brown, but most of the mushrooms were much brighter colours. Some glowed, and others shimmered. Some looked carved out of crystals, while one tickled her leg with its fuzzy cap. Only the memory of Glinda's words kept her from reaching out and touching various mushrooms to find out if they felt like mushrooms or not.

"So you have returned," said a deep voice, and Haru blinked at the form crawling out of the shadows. Perhaps it was because in all the illustrations the caterpillar towered over Alice, but Haru expected the caterpillar to be much bigger. But if she was about of foot tall, it made sense for her to be about four times taller than him. To her, the caterpillar was still strangely tall. About as long as her arm if not longer. "You caused quite the ruckus when you were here last. What do you think of my work?"

"I need to know what Cap is and a ring."

"My, you sure are straight to the point. And rude. What make you think I will give you either of those things?"

"Because you owe me that much now."

"Do I?" said the caterpillar before taking a deep breath of his pipe thing connected to a small vase-like thing (Haru wasn't exactly sure what it was, and neither was she about to ask) and blowing out smoke directly into Haru's face. She coughed violently and took a step back, waving her arms to dissipate the smoke. "Owing is something caterpillars like myself don't do."

"I need to find my friend," said Haru swallowing back coughs. "He's in trouble, and it has something to do with a cap and a ring, and you will help me find him, whether owing is something you do or not."

"Not a cap. CAP. If you don't even know that much, how do you think you will release your friend? To be honest, releasing him is impossible, but then you appear to be the same."

"Appear to be the same what?"

"You appear to be impossible. The kind of impossible that means warnings are useless and you don't understand the word no. So I might as well tell part of my tale and finish my part in yours."

"If you could do it quickly, I would appreciate it."

"That was my intention, stupid girl. Why do all girls have to act so stupidly?"

"I have a feeling it's something more to do with you than us," said Haru as she sat on a deep red mushroom. She sunk in it a bit and nearly gasped at how soft it was. Instantly, she focused back her attention on Absolem. "So, what is Cap?"

"CAP is my Creation," said Absolem as he took another deep breath of smoke and exhaled it straight into Haru's face again, causing another round of coughing. "Much like Baron is your father's Creation, CAP is mine. Though I did not cheat as your father did and use someone else's power or powder. When I moulded CAP, I put my whole essence into it. It was the only one of my projects that took a life of its own, but then I did design it to do so."

"Okay, so CAP is a Creation, _your_ Creation. But what is it exactly, and what does it have to do with where Baron is?" asked Haru.

"Impudent child, do you want me to finish rapidly or slowly? I thought even clueless children as yourself knew that interruptions do nothing but stop a tale."

"I'm not a child," snapped Haru. "And as long as you tell me what I need to know, I won't interrupt again."

"Yes, you are a child, girl. At least to me. Years mean nothing to me, but if they did, I would be older than even that pretentious sorceress that sent you here. I would be so old that things like how to reach your friend would be too deep in my mind for me to reach. Fortunately, Time and I no longer have anything to do with each other. Now excuse me while I reach for what you nearly put out of my reach."

Another puff of annoying blue smoke, another round of coughing, but otherwise Haru refrained from doing anything but glare at the annoying blue caterpillar as he stared out into space.

"Ah, there it is," said the blue caterpillar at last. He returned Haru's glare with a flat stare of his own. "It is extremely difficult to keep this tale, so try not to interrupt again. It is very unpleasant, and I'd much rather let it fall back into the void. However, it must be told, hopefully for the last time. When Time and I were still in contact, I lived elsewhere, in a world that no longer truly exists. It was a world far more sophisticated than any other I have seen or in all probability exist. Those fellow creatures that lived with me did not only know of other worlds, we fashioned them much like someone might fashion a new home.

"Not to say that we could indeed create worlds, but we preferred to think of it that way since we took budding worlds and shifted them around to suit our purposes through those things that are now translated as magic and technology. We sent our people to live in these other worlds or used them as vacation destinations. And then came the Crimes War. Certain individuals had started abusing others, some had even been killing entire populated worlds. I had little to do with the situation, since I have rarely cared for those outside my work. Two of those who I bothered caring for were my wife and daughter, but I had sent to test out a new world and so was not overly concerned with them. I believed them safe in a closed off world. As is usually the case, I was wrong. One of those life-enders got into my closed-off world and ended every life in it."

Another burst of smoke caused Haru's eyes to water, but as she blinked she thought she saw a field of yellow wheat stained red in a straight lines with mangled bodies. Bile burned its way up her throat, but the image disappeared and instead another with a blue caterpillar-like creature (with only two arms and two legs and antennae on his caterpillar-shaped head) frantically typing (or something like that with fingerless hands) into spheres made of multi-coloured light.

"After that, I was aware that something had to be done, and so I did it. I created a world to contain and trap these life-enders and other criminals. A prison that would adjust and correct those lesser beings into beings of worth, or so I told those who had what you now call 'authority.' For the world would do just that. It would target the danger in dangerous and destroy it. To do so, I knew that it would have to have a brain, a self. How could it judge and study a self if it itself was not one? And so I poured my soul like a proper artisan and let it attain its essence from it. And I was successful. Too successful."

Haru could have sworn she saw the caterpillar-like creature literally spill its soul (blue like a dwarf star) out a gash in reality and into a deep, dark void. The image changed again into those spheres of light showing various caterpillar-like creatures (all different colours) falling through the same gash and now-multi-coloured void. The blue caterpillar-like creature sat nearby watching a sphere showing a yellow-striped black creature get thrown in again and again.

"Lessers went in and Constructives came out. Even then we knew there was something off with the Constructives. They reacted too strangely to their former interests, too filled with terror. But as long as the job was done, I had what I thought was peace. War disguises itself like peace too often, and it came and trapped us all. One took 'authority' over our world and destroyed it by means of punishment. He punished thousands, millions, billions, numbers that you children haven't invented yet because you do not realize numbers are useless in understanding the universe. He punished those numberless selves using CAP, using my Creation."

A large grass green caterpillar creature with yellow wings flew stared down at a huge crowd of caterpillar creatures that were being herded into the gash and void. The familiar blue caterpillar creature was being dragged between two black caterpillar creatures through the crowd and towards the gash. One of the black caterpillar creatures had yellow stripes.

"I myself grew to know what my Creation could do. I spoke to it. I grew to fear it. Eventually, I escaped it. By then, I learned that my world was no more. The few who remained had destroyed themselves, and that holder of 'authority' was cast into my Creation himself. If any besides me escaped my Creation, they have not deigned to show themselves to me. But then, I have hidden here in this last of my moulded worlds, and I have worked hard to remain unknown."

"Wait. What do you mean the 'last of my moulded worlds'? Do you mean you made this place?" said Haru, looking around at the mushrooms once again in wonder.

"I did not 'make' this world. Are you deaf, child? I moulded it. Despite their names, Creations are not actual creations. They are made or moulded by their Artisans. But like children, we who make cannot claim to have made them from nothing. Creation is from nothing. As far as anyone who has sense can tell, only One has power to do that. Worlds can be guided once they appear, and that is what I did. I encouraged colour and shape and texture and sentience. It takes a delicate handle to mould a world where one can forget."

"So you made—sorry, moulded this world so you could forget?"

"So everyone can forget," said the blue caterpillar. Another puff of blue smoke assaulted Haru, but she didn't even flinch. "I have learned selfishness and self-importance is dangerous. Anyone who wishes to forget may come here to do so."

' _Like my father,_ ' thought Haru but shook the thought away. She was here for a reason. Out loud she said, "So what exactly did Cap do to… target danger and destroy it?"

Blue smoke spun on rings around Haru as the blue caterpillar stared straight into her eyes. His beady black eyes reflected the light like stones, and Haru found it hard to breathe.

"It finds what makes you dangerous to those around you and manipulates the world, itself, around you so that you suffer the worse possible consequence to your actions. It repeats this until you stop. And then it spits you out into the nearest world when it is certain you will never think of choosing to do the dangerous action again."

"B-but what about those who aren't dangerous?" asked Haru, her voice near pleading. "Those who haven't done anything to hurt the ones around them?"

"The first my Creation knew of any world was the worst all of them could offer. When one sees the worst at the beginning, it is impossible to see anything else."

"So… what? Are you saying that your Creation believes everyone is dangerous? That everyone is out to hurt those around them?"

"It does not know good or bad. Just dangerous and safe." Again the stone-like eyes reflected the light eerily. "What makes your friend _dangerous_?"

Haru shook her head reflexively, but the word "nothing" stuck in her throat. A person who hides a sword in his cane, who toppled kings, who did all those things she had been reading the day before, could be called many things. And dangerous was one of them.

"But then why didn't you teach it? Why didn't you show it right and wrong? Why leave it to keep… to keep making people safe?"

"My excuse has always been that it is impossible. To get to CAP, one must be very powerful. My former world made sure of that before ceasing to live. More powerful than me or that annoyingly meddling enchantress. There are other ways. One could be a Creation themselves. Or one could have a ring that has long been destroyed. Or one could have one that still exists and have the ability to open doors," answered the caterpillar with his piercing stone-like eyes. A cloud of blue smoke swirled around Haru but didn't distract her.

"Even if it's hard to get to, you should have found a way to go back. It's your Creation!"

"It's only mine when I allow myself to remember. When I lift the effects of this world. But I don't. Even if it is selfish, I don't. And after this, I no longer will. That me will fall into the abyss and never return."

"How do you do that? How do you remember after living here so long?" asked Haru.

"Simple. Very simple, you silly girl. Why do you think I am playing with smoke? It isn't for fun, whatever you may believe. This smoke is an invention or spell or whatever term you wish to give it. It allows me enough strength to fight off the effects. To recall what I want and forget what I want. And now it will allow you to remember yourself when you go attempt the impossible twice over."

Another and last spiral of smoke encircled Haru, and she suddenly realized she was no longer coughing.

"Now for the ring. You're quite fated since you yourself have caused me to have it. Dealing with Cheshire is truly a ruthless business," said Absolem taking the strange connected pipe out of his mouth. The last puff of smoke crept through the air and behind Absolem. The blue tendrils lifted a circlet that looked more like a bracelet than a ring and dropped it at Haru's feet. Haru bent down to get it. "Before you touch it, there are a few more things I would like to say."

With a jerk, Haru snapped back into an upright position, now a bit more wary of the gold "ring."

"You will know the Creation's puddle because it will be quilt. And yours has a red line in front put there by two other children. Take off the ring and put in your pocket when you get there if you want to jump in. Also, Time will most likely be up to his old tricks as will the Creation, so now is when speed really matters. Finally, remember this if nothing else girl: Be careful. Nothing there is real. Nothing, except those trapped there and **it**. So go away and don't come back."

A cloud of blue smoke surrounded the caterpillar, cleared, and left no trace that Absolem had ever been there. Haru took one last look at where the blue caterpillar had stood throughout the story before steeling herself and reaching for the ring.

"Hold on a little longer, Baron. I'm coming."

ooOoo

Louise's dress surrounded her in white, and for a few moments, Baron couldn't recognize the angel walking down the church aisle. More than a few envious glares bore into him, but he could only stare at the white Half-Cat walking down the aisle. Behind him, the silver grey cat in priest garb chuckled.

"I believe that in your case, I am not exaggerating when I say God's blessed you with an angel," said the minister. Baron's cheeks blushed on cue, but those blasted brown eyes distracted him with a millisecond of an image of a human brunette. His blush intensified even as he shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts of another when he had this _angel_ in front of him.

The wedding ceremony lived up to every expectation he had of it. The haunting brown eyes notwithstanding, Baron held the white Half-Cat's hand throughout all of it, and his heart threatened to tickle his ribcage with warm, feathery pieces of joy for the rest of time. He allowed himself to forget his more recent attempts to aid those in need (the librarian had banned him for another month for the bookcase fiasco) and simply enjoyed the present. For Louise, he focused solely on being happy.

And then his eyes were drawn to a young tan Half-Cat staring blankly in the corner. He would have let her be, but her eyes… they were brown. Those brown eyes. He blinked. No, not exactly those eyes, but very close. Louise excused herself to dance with an old friend (an older gentleman who thought of Louise as a niece), and Baron found himself walking over to the staring girl. A little boy watched them with an almost sorry look in his black eyes.

"Good morning," said Baron.

"Good morning."

"I'm sorry to be rude, but I don't recognize you."

"I'm not surprised," muttered the Half-Cat. A little louder, she continued, "My name's Harumi."

"Haru… mi?" asked Baron. The name failed to come off his tongue smoothly, one syllable too long.

"Yes. And you're Baron. I've seen you around," said the girl with a wane smile.

"You've seen me around? What do you mean?" asked Baron.

A blush crept up the girl's neck and glowed under her brown hair. Baron smiled at the fetching picture the young Half-Cat made. He quickly and subtly shook his head to clear it of such unfaithful thoughts.

"You're the Baron who tries to help." The words were barely rose above a whisper. A smile lit those almost-right brown eyes, and Baron knew no amount of shaking could stop his admiration of them. He took a step backward, but she didn't seem to notice. "You're not very good at it."

"So my wife keeps telling me," said Baron, reminding her and himself of his marital status. A slight shadow dimmed the light in those eyes, but the tan Half-Cat kept smiling.

"Why do you do it?" she asked. "Why do you keep helping when you know you're so bad at it?"

"Because I cannot ignore a person in need." The oft-quoted phrase had the opposite effect on this tan Half-Cat than it did on Louise. The girl let out a quiet laugh.

"I see," she said, and Baron believed she did. "I admire your confidence, Baron. I wish I could be so sure about what I was doing. I'm always so scared of messing up."

"All you have to do is believe in yourself. Do this and no matter where you are, you will have nothing to fear." Even as the words came out of his mouth, Baron felt his shoulders straightening and his whole being filling with rightness. These words, like the ones he had told Louise weeks ago, were more real than… than this life. The girl's smile widened, and her brown eyes sparkled. Baron couldn't help grinning back.

"Thanks. I'll do that," she said. Brown eyes peeked over his shoulder. "You should probably return to your wife. She's almost done dancing with that older gentleman."

"That I shall," said Baron. Sweeping off his white top hat, he gave the lovely Half-Cat a bow, his heart both rising and sinking at her renewed smile. Why was it that he felt guiltier about returning to his wife than talking to this girl? He replaced his top hat on his head and proceeded back to his wife.

A scream froze him mid-stride. A black and white cat streaked out the ballroom's door.

"My necklace!" yelled a human woman. Without hesitation, Baron chased after the thief. The black and white cat caught sight of Baron and picked up his pace, and Baron did the same. They came to a street, and the cat with the pearl necklace in its mouth paused briefly as he noticed large carriage coming down the road.

A quick look back convinced him to go forward. Baron took stock of the carriage, and he quickly calculated he could cross the street in time to avoid it. His dress shoes clacked along the cobblestones as he ran right behind the black and white cat. He could hear the carriage driver crying out and the horses whinnying in protest to the sudden jerk back of their reigns.

Baron only had a moment to remember Louise's words from when he woke up from that carriage accident months ago. He ran faster. He was on the other side of the street before the horses came close to him. Horse cries and other human ones sounded behind him, and the black and white cat stopped to look back. Baron caught him by the scruff of the neck and yanked the necklace out of his mouth. He opened his mouth to scold the cat when he noticed its grey eyes staring at where they had come.

The horses and carriage were being backed up by their panicked driver as several men surrounded the middle of the road. Forgetting about the furry thief, Baron drew closer to the commotion. A Half-Cat with broad shoulders and grey fur noticed him.

"You fool!" he yelled. "What were you thinking running out into the street like that?!"

"I apologize," said Baron. "I was trying to apprehend this thief, and I was certain the carriage wouldn't hit me."

"What about her?" yelled the Half-Cat. "Did you know the carriage would miss her too!?"

"Her?" said Baron, the word reverberating through his head and icing over his heart. "What her?"

"The young girl who was following you!" the dark grey Half-Cat yelled in his face, making Baron take a step back. The Half-Cat's face crumpled, and his grey ears hung limply. His dark eyes glittered with tears. "She wanted to help… to help you. She always just wanted to help. Oh, Harumi…"

Every muscle in Baron's back stiffened, and he almost felt as if he was shifting back to wood. Wood? Why would he shift back to wood…?

"Baron. Baron!"

The cry snapped him out of his daze. Familiar blue eyes greeted him, just as they had months ago. After that carriage accident…

Baron's head snapped into the direction of fallen horses and an overturned carriage.

"Oh, Baron," said Louise, banishing all thoughts that he had somehow returned to that moment in time. That everything in the last few hours had been undone. The carriage driver stepped out of the way to reveal the broken, bloodied body of a brown Half-Cat, red obscuring any eyes the body might have had. Louise stepped into his line of vision and attempted a smile as she stroked his cheek and extricated the pearls from his white-knuckled grip. "You always mean so well."

ooOoo

Peace. Haru felt the sensation well through her from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. She slowly looked up at the trees above her and the pools that glistened beneath them and smiled. Haru didn't know how she had gotten here or where she was or even had been. But none of that information mattered. She had peace that rested in her from her very soul. A cute little brown guinea pig nudged her hand, and Haru picked it up, placed it in her lap, and stoked it. So much peace.

A noise rippled through the otherwise silent forest, and Haru placed the calm guinea pig down. She needed to find that sound. For some reason she could barely remember, she needed to find the source of that sound. Quickly making her way through the soft, pleasant undergrowth, she passed several pools before reaching one very different from the others.

The pool lay under a tree that should have looked like all the others but didn't. The branches of the tree reached lower than the others, as if the tree was attempting to hide the strange pool. The pool itself looked nothing like the others. It was not smooth as glass but rather looked like someone was continually dropping rocks into it, with ripples upon ripples meeting and forming an almost patchwork pattern. Like a quilt. Someone had mentioned a quilt to her before…

The thought snapped Haru's mind fully out of its peaceful, half-awake mood. This pool had to be it, the entrance into that living world. The one that had all the characteristics of being a Creation like Baron. Looking closer at the pool, Haru realized what she had thought were ripples weren't. Although they lifted the water and crisscrossed like ripples, they had no movement. And where the not-ripples met in patches, making the pool look very much like a watery quilt. Haru reached down to touch the water. Immediately, she fell forward and down.

The sensation made her want to scream, but she couldn't because there wasn't enough of her to scream. Or rather she wasn't together enough to scream. She was falling into a dark, dense place at the same time as she was flying through a hot, glowing twilight. The confusing sensations, the feelings of un-wholeness, and the falling had Haru's soul writhing in agony. Or she supposed it was her soul since she couldn't feel her body properly. She was cold and pressed and hot and torn. So painfully torn.

Then the dark press dissolved, and Haru was left falling through the bright twilight. Memories of falling through the sky holding onto a furred paw with a reassuring weight on her back. But here, the sun was setting instead of rising, and Haru was falling alone. But she would not be rising alone.

Determination filling her heart, Haru managed to keep her feet under her as she landed softly on the road. However, her legs collapsed beneath her as her stomach lurched out all the food she had been able to eat in the last 24 hours.

"Haru, are you sick?" asked a very familiar voice. Haru blinked and lifted her eyes to see her best friend's worried face. "If you were sick, you should have stayed home. Michael could have done without you one day. In fact, he would insist on it."

Haru's mouth dropped open in surprise to say her best friend's name.

 _Be careful. Nothing there is real. Nothing, except those trapped there and_ **_it_** _._

Haru closed her mouth and shook her head.

"She's not real," she muttered.

"What did you say?" asked the illusion with her friend's face.

"I want to talk to Cap," said Haru, standing up and sounding as authoritative as possible.

"Cap? What are you talking about Haru? How sick are you exactly? And how long have you been hiding it?" asked Hiromi, more to herself than anyone else. She lifted her hand to touch Haru's forehead, but Haru caught the hand.

"I said I want to talk to Cap." Haru stood up and glared at the sky. "You heard me! I want to talk to you! I came a long way, and you won't believe what I've been through. And what was that a minute a go? Were you trying to split me in half?"

"No," said Hiromi. "I was actually trying to keep you alive."

Haru stared at the girl whose hand she was holding.

"You wanted me to talk to you," said Hiromi. "I'm talking to you."

"Do you have to talk to me looking like my best friend?" Haru asked. "It's a little unnerving."

"Unnerving?" said Hiromi, or rather CAP using Hiromi's form. "Shouldn't talking to your best friend put you at ease?"

"Not when it isn't her talking."

"All right," said the Hiromi look-alike. The light brunette's skin rippled and shrunk. And then Haru was holding the hand of a little boy with a cap on his head and blank black eyes. "Is this better?"

"Yes?" said Haru in an almost squeak. Seeing her best friend turn into a little boy wasn't necessarily the weirdest thing she had ever seen, however strange of a fact that was, but to see brown, understanding eyes shift into blank, black- _inhuman black_ -ones had sent shivers up her spine..

"You don't look reassured."

"I'll try to be," said Haru. She took a deep breath. "I need you to release Baron."

"Interesting," said the boy reaching into his pocket with his free hand. He took out a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth.

"What's interesting?" asked Haru, ignoring the strange action.

"You ask for his freedom, but not your own."

"I came here to free him," said Haru. "Besides he won't leave me here. Even if I can't get out of here with him, he'll come back and get me. And he'll probably be better at it."

"I wouldn't be sure of that if I were you," said the boy. "He isn't going to be in the right state of mind to help anyone."

"What do you mean?" said Haru, her grip on the child's hand tightening. "What have you done to him!?"

"You know that doesn't hurt me," said the boy. "Your entrance, however, did. I had to pop a cell. That always hurts."

"Pop a cell? Wait. Forget about that. What have you done with Baron?"

"Considering you came in here and demanded to speak to me, I assume you know what I am," said the boy. "Or did no one explain what a correcting prison does?"

"But… but… what would that have to do with Baron helping me?" asked Haru. "Correcting prison? Is that what you call yourself?"

"Correcting Alt-dimensional Prison. It's what I am and what I do and what everyone calls me, though considering you came here I supposed you would at least know that much... I suppose you didn't stop to think about what might need correcting in Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, did you?" The boy's voice sounded overly bored, as if people forgot this all the time.

"I didn't have time. I was trying to get here as fast as I could," said Haru. "But what does that have to do with—"

The words faded as the realization lit and clouded Haru's brown eyes. Then she yanked the boy closer and stared into his unnerving blank eyes.

"What. Have. You. Done. To. Baron."

"Humans are so emotional," said the boy. His eyes remained blank and unmoved. "Surely you already knew what makes him so dangerous to those that surround him."

Haru's grip edged white while the little boy's hand remained unaffected. With a sound that both resembled a cry and a sob, Haru threw the little boy's hand almost into his face.

"So emotional," said the boy staring at his hand.

"Please," whispered Haru. She didn't stop the tears that dripped from her eyes. The image of terrified green eyes that she had hidden deep in the back of her mind finally broke to the back of her eyes. "He helps as many people as he can. He's been helping me since the first time I met him. That's who he is. He helps. Surely even you can tell that he… that that isn't a bad thing. I would be a cat if he didn't help me."

"Barely," said the boy. "You've said that yourself, haven't you? He doesn't think things through and makes up plans as he goes along. If he can't help without endangering those around him, he shouldn't do it."

"But that's our decision!" cried Haru, her tears drying in the heat of her anger. "I decided to help him help other people. Muta and Toto and all the others who helped us decided to do that on their own, because they know that what Baron does is good. That the Cat Bureau has helped and saved so many people. Why would you try to correct that out of Baron?!"

"He was thrown in here, and according to his multiple world resonances and even yours, those adventures weren't beneficial to all those concerned, including you," said the boy, utterly calmly. "Surely even you can tell that he will get someone irreversibly hurt if he continues to help. That some people already have."

"A lot more people will get hurt if he stops."

The blank gaze continued to focus on Haru.

"Do you love him?"

The question pushed Haru a step backward.

"W-what?"

"Do you love him?" the boy repeated. "I've seen people 'love.' They go through such great lengths for the person they 'love.' You are going to great lengths for this Creation. Do you love him?"

Heat blazed across Haru's cheeks, and she attempted to cool them by clearing her throat. Surprisingly, the attempt failed.

"W-well, that's a complicated question—"

"Is it complicated because he's a Creation and not an organically formed? Is it harder to love an inorganic, magical being?"

"No," said Haru, her cheeks miraculously cooling. "I do love Baron. It's just… I don't know how I love him or maybe it's more like how I'm allowed to love him…"

"That's because you fight against what should be," said the boy. "You shouldn't love him in any romantic way. He shouldn't love you in any romantic manner either. But how can you love him in any manner? Inorganic, artificial beings aren't made to be loved."

"But aren't you made out of love? You were made because Absolem loved his daughter. You were made with all his heart and soul. How can think you aren't allowed to be loved?" asked Haru.

"Because I'm not," said the boy, and Haru blinked as the blank gaze slightly wavered before returning to its stony, marble gaze. "I was made to correct dangerous individuals and release them back out into their worlds reformed. That is my purpose. No one loves the rod that corrects."

The gaze remained stony, but Haru suddenly looked at the boy wearing those eyes. Of all the forms for the Prison to take, it took the form of a child. A young boy with a cap that half-hid his face when he wasn't looking directly at you and a lollipop hanging out his mouth. Crouching to the boy's eye-level, Haru stared right through the black eyes.

"I love Baron," Haru repeated. She did, in what way and whether or not it would become anything substantial didn't matter. Not now. "I love him because he sticks his nose in other people's business and determines to help no matter what. I love him because he doesn't rely on a plan but trusts himself and those around him to do what needs to be done to succeed. He offers to tea to whoever needs it. He holds out his hand to catch whoever falls. He has made it his life to help people, and he wouldn't… wouldn't be Baron if he didn't."

"What makes him dangerous makes him him, is that what you are trying to say?" asked the boy. Haru nodded and smiled slightly. "And you love him?"

"Yes," Haru answered as her smile reached her eyes. The stony gaze shifted, but the expression behind them was too dark for Haru to interpret.

"You came here of your own free will," said the boy finally. "I have no jurisdiction over you. I only deal with those thrown in here for correction."

"Baron wasn't thrown in here either."

"He was. The person who sent the cuffs wanted him sent here, therefore he was sent for correction. You came on your own."

"Whoever sent him here wasn't a good person. Whoever sent Baron here deserved to be corrected, not Baron," said Haru.

"I see," said the boy. The clouded gaze darkened. "He is like Jhinan. I thought he might be, but from your world resonances, I have decided he must be. However, I am not a judge. I am merely a prison."

"No you're not," said Haru. Her thighs had started to complain about her crouch, but she managed to shuffle forward. "But a prison shouldn't keep innocent people."

The boy's clouded gaze flickered with some hidden thought. And then he nodded.

"I am not a judge, but perhaps the person who entered my domain of her own free will could count as one."

Before Haru could release the question on her tongue, the world spun under her feet, and she fell into a blue circle and into a raining street. People passed her with black umbrellas and without giving her a glance.

"I assume you can judge," said the boy.

"Judge? What do you mean judge?" asked Haru. "I'm not—"

"The only ones who are allowed to come into my domain besides prisoners are those who judge," said the boy. "You are either a prisoner or a magistrate."

"A magistrate? But I'm no—" said Haru, but she stopped herself and stared at the boy instead. "Are you helping me?"

"Perhaps."

Water dripping through her hair and knees on wet, hard cement, Haru smiled.

"Okay, so what do I do?" asked Haru as she stood up. The boy was standing in the rain, but none of the drops hit him. As Haru stood up, the rain began to miss her as well.

"You judge my work," said the boy. "Decide whether or not he has been corrected enough. He will not be able to see you or me, so you will be able to see what his natural reactions."

"Do all magistra—"

The words died in her throat as she recognized one of the figures in the rain. Haru hadn't noticed that the people walking by her were of differing species, but she noted now. And the one who had caught her attention was familiarly orange-furred, though the line of his shoulders drooped downward in a very unfamiliar way.

"Baron?" Haru whispered.

"He can't see you," said the boy behind her. "You can only watch for now."

Baron's green eyes didn't even flicker to her, and the cat figurine kept walking forward without looking either way. He didn't march, but his stride was purposeful as if he was just walking to get from one place to another. As if he didn't want to stay on the street longer than necessary. Haru quickly started after him, barely noticing the boy vanishing behind her.

A cry broke through the monotonous march. Baron's steps halted slightly but didn't stop. Haru did and glanced back at a human child who had fallen behind her mother. The mother kept walking, and the little girl sat alone in the rain crying. Baron kept walking, keeping his gaze forward and away from the child. The child's cries grew louder. Baron gripped the rim of his hat and tightened the one on his cane, but his steps slowed. And then the piercing cries softened into confused sobs when no one stopped to help the child. With each motioned pained and hesitant, Baron kept walking.

"Baron," whispered Haru as she watched him ignore the little girl crying alone and soaked in the sidewalk. Then he stopped. His fingers twitched, and he looked over his shoulder. His green eyes filled with agonizing pain. Firming his shoulders, he grabbed the arm of someone walking past him. Haru blinked. The person was an orange-striped cat-like man who gave Baron an annoyed look with his yellow eyes.

"Why's no one helping that child?" asked Baron quickly, as if he was trying to cut off whatever the orange-striped tabby would say.

"Because she's well known in these parts. She's most likely throwing a temper tantrum about something or other," said the tabby in an almost snappy manner. "Her mother isn't far."

"She might catch a cold," said Baron.

"You don't have very good eyes, do you? She's under a covering," said the tabby. "I wouldn't go over to her, either. She's terrified of adult Half-Cats since her brother told her a story about a rabid Half-Cat. Though anyone would think you were done with sticking your nose in other's business after what happened."

Baron twitched and released the tabby's arm. The tabby's gaze became a little more sympathetic, but he didn't say anything. He gave Baron a quick goodbye and strode away. Giving the near-screaming child one last look, Baron headed back in the direction he was going. Haru gazed after him as his shoulders slumped and his ears flattened.

"What have you done?" whispered Haru.

"What I was made to do," said the boy reappearing next to her. Haru rounded on him, but the tirade bubbling up her throat was stopped by clouded black eyes. Eyes that Haru could now see were clearly clouded with something very close to regret. The boy's voice continued in a small voice, "He's less dangerous now."

"He's less Baron too," Haru said in the same soft tone.

"They're always less," said the boy. "It's my job, and I always knew they should be less. They couldn't be what they were. They would hurt others like my creator's child."

"Do you still think that?" asked Haru, and the clouded gaze focused on her again.

"I don't know," said the boy. "Some should be less. Less murderers. Less rapists. Less harmful on purpose. But the others… I don't know."

"You should," said Haru, walking in the direction Baron had. "You should see him and know."

"Do you think Creations can be more than what we were made for?" asked the boy so quietly that Haru wasn't sure she heard him. She looked back, and he was gone. Or rather he wasn't in a form she could see. Haru fought off a shiver as she realized he was literally everywhere here.

She found a small grey house with green lining and large double wooden doors that she recognized so well that she was half-surprised that she didn't shrink when she neared it. But then she didn't have to. Carefully she opened the doors and entered the house. Although her entrance wasn't silent, neither of the occupants took notice of her.

"What took you so long, Baron?" asked a sophisticated looking white Half-Cat with blue eyes. She looked up from her needlework as if startled. "Baron… You didn't… You didn't try to stop and help anyone, did you?"

A tawny ear flicked backwards as Baron flinched.

"No, Louise." Haru's heart didn't leap in her throat when she heard Baron say that name – it didn't. Telling herself to ignore her stupid, movable heart, she focused on the situation. She didn't cross multiple worlds and risk getting stuck in a limbo world to get distracted last minute.

"Sweetheart," the white Half-Cat started, but the endearment drifted off into silence as those bright blue eyes dimmed. Baron said nothing as he headed towards the teapot. Sighing, Louise set her needlework and walked over to Baron. With a weak smile, Louise made another attempt. "Making your special blend?"

"Always," he said, returning her weak smile with one of his own. Her smile widening a bit, she reached over and grabbed a cup. Without pausing, she tilted the teapot and poured the tea. Tea that Baron hadn't had a chance to finish preparing. Baron didn't pause as he poured himself a cup. Testing out a theory, Haru stuck out her hand and reached for one herself. The whole tea set disappeared, and the couple didn't notice.

The two sipped, but neither seemed to be tasting the tea. Haru felt a bit cheated since she was apparently not allowed the tea, and she could certainly use it right now. Again, Haru reminded herself to focus.

"You're going to lose yourself if you're not careful."

Haru shot an irritated glance at the boy who had once again reappeared beside her.

"Either stay, or don't," said Haru. The boy's blank eyes stared at her, but she didn't look away. He nodded and didn't disappear.

"He was hard," said the boy hiding his gaze with his cap as it pointed towards the silent Baron. "He knows himself well." He peeked around the rim. "You would be hard too."

"That's because I learned from the best," she said smiling slightly and staring at Baron. The smile faded as she saw him dully stare at the wall behind the white Half-Cat. Flatly, she repeated the question this being had pointedly refused to answer, "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing was working with him," said the boy lowly, as if afraid that the oblivious couple would hear him. "I had to be extreme."

"I can't imagine what would leave Baron like this," said Haru. Memories of a dark cave and of quivering shoulders flinching away from her crossed her mind, but even then, Baron hadn't looked like this. Fearful, angry, mistrustful, yes. But not empty. Not as if part of his soul had been stripped away. Those vivid green eyes looking more like the green glass marbles they originally were than the ones that had greeted her with warmth every time she stepped into the Bureau.

"He lost you."

Jerking back half a centimetre to stare at the boy that wasn't a boy, Haru nearly lost her balance but grabbed the nearby counter and kept some of her dignity. Half-blushing from her blunder and over-reaction, she straightened and half-choked out the question that naturally followed a statement like that.

"W-what?!"

"He lost you," the boy repeated. The lollipop that had been earlier in his mouth had returned (and Haru had ceased trying to keep track of what came and went in this place), and he pulled it out, making his words clearer as the lollipop spun in his fingers. "He didn't know it was you, exactly. It wasn't optimal to allow him traces of you. Not that some didn't cling to him persistently. Or perhaps he clung to them. In either way, there is no true version of you in this place. Not originally. I only made her for a brief period, and he ran into her at his wedding."

The word wedding nearly made Haru's mind wander again, but she snapped it back into focus.

"She died shortly after. He's been this way since," explained the boy. His blank gaze fell on her again. He put the lollipop back in his mouth, but his voice continued unmuffled. "I didn't count on such an extreme reaction. He is almost fully reformed now."

Haru's hand clenched, and her mouth opened to introduce this monster to the exact capacity of her lungs. The blank eyes shifted towards the couple and something less blank filled them.

"They're supposed to be happy," said the boy lowly again. "He was made to be happy."

The angry rant died in Haru's throat. The boy who was not a boy had a recognizable lost little boy look deep in those dark eyes, and all the wind was knocked out of Haru's sails.

"Why would he be happy?" said Haru quietly. The couple had barely moved, both lost in their thoughts. Or perhaps only Baron was lost in his thoughts since this Louise wasn't real. Haru blinked. Why hadn't she remembered that before? That besides her and Cap, Baron was the only real person here?

"He was made to be happy with her," said the boy a little louder. "I was just trying to help him do what he was made for. Maybe, if he was happy, he would… he would perhaps not want… not want to…."

"You want him to stay?" asked Haru softly. The little boy clutched at the rim of his hat and nodded ever so slightly. A sudden thought hit Haru, and she quickly voiced it. "You've been alone for a long time, haven't you?"

"A correctional prison is to do its job and then release its prisoners. No one has sent me any new prisoners in longer than your world has been in existence, and therefore I have been without purpose for a long time. As long as I have a prisoner, I have a purpose. If I fulfil my purpose perfectly, perhaps I will be happy," said the boy without uncovering his eyes.

"Has being a correctional prison ever made you happy?"

The boy, Cap, shook his head.

"Then maybe that isn't your purpose," said Haru with a small smile. The boy peeked at her, and her smile grew. She crouched down to meet those inhuman (but still vulnerable) black eyes. "Sometimes what others think your purpose should be isn't your purpose at all. You have to find it yourself. Maybe your purpose is something bigger than this."

Those black eyes stared into hers for long enough that Haru's legs started to cramp, but then he nodded.

"What is your judgement?"

Around the corner of her eye, Haru glanced at Baron. He still sat over his cooling tea and staring into the middle distance.

"I judge that he needs to go back to the Bureau," said Haru. She gave Cap one more smile. "That's where he'll be happiest. That's where his purpose is."

Again, CAP nodded and gave her a tiny smile of his own.

"Then I release him and you with him to that place you call the Bureau. Please help him forget about me."

"All right. But I won't forget about you. I promise," said Haru. And instant later, the two were gone, and CAP continued to smile at the place Haru had been.

"I won't forget you either," he said to the completely empty surroundings. "I'm sorry for being me."

ooOoo

"So you were stuck in a world that was a Creation."

"Apparently," said Baron as he heated his tea. Muta stared at him before turning to where Toto was perched on the balcony railing.

"Yeah. It's official. Nothing in any of those boring files was going to help us with that one," said Muta.

"Are you actually admitting that my idea was a good one?" said Toto.

"Hey, even a chicken has got to have a good idea once and a while," said Muta. "Even if it had to include the weirdest, most annoying witch in multiple worlds."

"It wasn't my fault that she was annoying, though I wouldn't call her that anywhere near her world. She's one scary lady. I'd also point out that I'm not a chicken, but to that I would need to believe you capable of actually learning something."

"How about you learn some manners instead, beak brain!"

"Beak brain? Did you spend the last three days coming up with that?"

"Come here, feather duster!" yelled Muta as he lunged at the crow.

"Ooh, someone's been thinking," said Toto as he fluttered off his perch and out the window.

"I'll show you what I've been thinking," said Muta as he ran out of the Bureau. Haru watched them with a smile.

"I hope they behaved while I was gone," said Baron selecting a cup and saucer from the cabinet.

"They did. But it was strange not to hear them arguing," said Haru. "I think I prefer when they're arguing. Feels less like doom is upon us."

"I have heard of more accurate signs for the end of the world, but few would be more convincing than the lack of fighting from those two."

Haru's smile widened at the quip before falling away slowly. Baron continued to prepare the tea in silence. The Cat Creation seemed fine. Nothing like he had in that forest (the Wood Between the Worlds, he had called it when he had started looking like he was fine). Arms had wrapped around her tight enough to squeeze the oxygen out of her lungs. Only a wheezing breath from her had loosened the hold. Green eyes had stared at her as the arms pulled away. The gaze had been both piercing and fragile. Eventually, Haru had asked him what was wrong. And then the Cat Creation had straightened and asked how they had gotten there.

Honestly, Haru didn't know exactly how much Baron remembered of his time in Cap's world, but it was enough. Whatever he remembered was enough for him to act like as if it hadn't bothered him. And she had no idea how to get him talking about it. Baron hadn't even interjected more than some cursory details into her version of the events. She watched carefully as he stirred a drop of milk into his finished cup of tea.

"He was lonely, you know."

"I apologise, Miss Haru, but it appears I have lost part of the conversation," said Baron as he looked up at her. Haru bit her tongue from pointing out that it wasn't like him to miss anything, and he actually hadn't. That he thought he had—

"Cap. He was lonely. He had no one for company in thousands of years," said Haru.

"That isn't surprising, given what he is. Nevertheless, there is little that can drive a being mad faster than solitude."

"He wasn't mad. Actually he seemed to be rather sensible. More sane than a lot of people we've met, including a certain caterpillar I had to deal with during this fiasco. But he was lonely and confused. I hate leaving him like that. I mean, I know what he did to you wasn't right. A lot of what he did before that too. But he didn't know how to do anything else. It was what he was Created for, or at least what he thought he was Created for. Do you think that there is some way to help him?"

"Perhaps. I'll look into it some time. First, I think I should get the Bureau in order."

A frown tugged at Haru's lips as her focus remained on Baron and not on the files strewn everywhere. Maybe she shouldn't have asked so soon about Cap after everything he had put Baron through—No. That wasn't it. Baron wasn't the sort to carry a grudge, and he would most likely understood better than her about being Created for something. No, something else then…As Baron sat across from her, Haru stared wide-eyed at him.

"Is something the matter, Miss Haru?"

"Yeah, something…," she half-muttered, trying not to flinch at the title before her name. Haru would have smacked herself if the action wouldn't have caused further worry. Instead she forced a smile on her face. It was too soon. Too soon to ask Baron to help someone. A slimy, acidic gurgle assaulted her stomach, but she kept it off her face. She had known he was not fine. But then, if she had any say, he would be. "You know while I was watching and 'passing judgment,' you made tea and I wasn't allowed to have some. Do you think I might have a cup now?"

"Help yourself," said Baron as he placed his own tea cup on a semi-clear spot of the table.

"I could, but I was hoping that you would. It tastes different when you make it. Better really," said Haru. Baron's shoulders tensed, and Haru kept her own relaxed and looked up at him. "Please."

The stiff shoulders shifted briefly into wood. Horror and guilt squeezed in her throat, but she continued to plead silently.

"As you wish, Miss Haru," said Baron, and Haru did not flinch. Slowly (and too stiff for flesh) Baron moved towards the kitchen. With the uttermost care (and with not-shaking hands) Baron took out another saucer and cup, picked up the teapot (as if it would try to jump out of his hands), and set the half-full tea cup jerkily in front of her. Haru took the cup in her hand and stared at him over the brim.

"As good as always," said Haru with a soft smile. The stiffness in his shoulders shifted away from wooden. Haru's smile grew. "Thank you."

"You are always welcome, Haru, but I believe for the near future, it should be I thanking you."

"Seeing as you saved me the first time we met from being stuck in world not my own, I believe we have just become even," she replied.

"You were a client then."

"And now I'm your friend. And friends are there for each other no matter what."

"As is increasingly so, you are correct."

"Somehow, I feel like that was a bit of an insult."

"If you say so."

"What happened to thanking me?"

"Let me try again then," said Baron. He stood straight, the stiffness disappearing into the straightening, and took of his hat. He bowed at his waist with his hat over his heart. "Thank you, Haru."

"You are always welcome, Baron."

 **ooOoo**

 **Next story:** _ **The Fifth Night**_

 **Teaser:** _ **Her cheeks reddened as she tightened her arms around him and buried her head into his shoulder. "Please… believe in yourself, Baron. I miss you." / "He's gone," Haru whispered. "He's gone without us." / It tilted its head to one side, staring down at the human. Haru's breath caught in her throat. She could see the metal endoskeleton jutting out at the elbow, the neck, and even the insides of its mouth, all startling reminders that this should be nothing more than a programmed toy. / "Brody said the animatronics really do come to life," she repeated. "Plural. So where… are the rest?" / "Hey! Let us in!" Muta began pounding his paws against the door. "I don't wanna become bear food!"**_


	9. The Fifth Night (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N: Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas! Here's to hoping 2016 is your best year yet.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 9: The Fifth Night (Part 1)**

" _Uh, now concerning your safety, the only_ real _risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll p-most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to... forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort... and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh._

" _Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night._ "

With the first of the recorded messages coming to a close, Chief Inspector Martin Brody removed the cassette tape and began to rummage through the aged box for the next tape in the series. There were five, he had been told. Five recorded messages for five nights.

Of course, the place had rumours; it was nigh on thirty years since there had been stories of the animatronics moving in the night… Nigh on thirty years since children had gone missing and the animatronics had allegedly turned on the night guards.

Things had changed since then. Mostly for the better.

Until several weeks back when the stories started up again and a night guard went missing…

He glanced up to the monitor – all three animatronics were still in place.

Brody muttered something about paranoia and the stupidity of taking up the job, and continued to search through the box. Old remains of spare parts and broken animatronics littered it and he began to doubt there were five tapes at all.

Finally, he found another cassette. He turned it over in his hands. "Fifth Night" was scrawled across the front.

It was better than nothing, at least.

He dropped it into the tape player and waited for more of the cryptic, uneasy warning of the mysterious phone man. Not that it had helped the previous guard. As always, it started with the ringing of the phone – why it was included in the recording, Brody hadn't worked out – and this time the ringing rang on for longer than usual.

When the ringing eventually stopped, there was silence.

Brody groaned and moved to turn the tape off – evidently some idiot had seen fit to record over it – but then there came a rumbling. He paused, his fingers flickering over the buttons.

The rumbling grew and then broke into a deep, distorted voice. The audio was too garbled to make out anything except for the demonic garble that surely couldn't have been attained through ordinary means. If the inspector strained his ears, he could almost make out words among the monstrosity.

A shiver ran down his spine and he switched it off.

He glanced back up to the monitor. Again.

All animatronics were still in place.

And yet it was still only half an hour into the shift. He still had five and a half hours left to go. Five and a half hours with only him, the animatronics, and the restaurant. With these thoughts running rampant, his eyes strayed to the mobile phone by his side. No signal, of course. He leant back into his seat and tried moving the phone to pick up even a glimmer of signal.

A single bar blipped into place.

The sigh he released was audible, and he couldn't stop the weak smile from slipping into place. The smile died when he looked back to the monitor watching over the three animatronics.

Where now there were only two.

ooOoo

In the familiarity of the Bureau, Haru and Baron sat; Baron in one of the armchairs and Haru on the sofa. The low coffee table was secured between them, and atop it lay an empty box and a single golden ring.

"So are we going to talk about who sent those lilies?" she asked. "We'll have to, eventually."

Baron shook his head. "It's of no importance."

"No importance? Baron, someone out there wanted you hurt. Do you really think I can just ignore something like that? Someone sent those lilies, Baron, and we have to find out who."

"And yet, their plan failed," Baron calmly assured.

"Do you really think they'll just give up like that? There has to be a way we can track them down, stop them before they do anything like this again–"

"Haru…" Baron leant forward and covered Haru's stressful hands with his own. "It's alright. Please, don't go looking for trouble."

"I'm not looking for trouble. Trouble found us and dragged you across worlds," Haru retorted. "And now I'm just trying to protect those I care about."

"As am I."

Across the Bureau, the old gramophone wheezed into abrupt life, cutting off whatever more Haru had to say on the subject. Of its own accord, the needle dropped itself onto the record and danced its way across the vinyl.

" _Gardner! Answer, dammit! Gardner, I need you to pick up the phone and bring backup! The stories were true – the animatronics really do come to life and I need you and the rest of the squad here now! Dammit, just pick up the phone!_ " There was a knocking sound that sent the man's voice dropping into a whisper. " _I can't get out of here – as soon as I leave they'll come for me… Gardner, just pick up the phone! Please…_ "

The message – whispered voice, knocking, and all – curtly ended. The needle continued its course along the vinyl record, and now the notes of a bright violin solo picked up from where the record carried on playing. Haru frowned. Baron usually remembered to place blank vinyl records in the gramophone for just such occasions – it seemed he had forgotten this time around and now the record was permanently scarred with the SOS.

She was the first to rise to her feet, moving over to the machine to lift the needle up. The melody halted mid-flow.

"I recognise that voice…"

"Chief Inspector Martin Brody," Baron said, almost absent-mindedly.

"Who? Wait – he was the one who needed help with the giant shark…" Haru smiled weakly at the somewhat nightmarish memory. "That… I think that was the first official case you let me help you on."

"You were almost killed in the process."

"To be fair, that was mostly my own fault. Well, it sounds like he needs help." Upon stating this, Haru turned back to the Creation with a ready smile, but found a sincere lack of response from the feline. Her eyes dimmed a little. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. "You know… we probably should see if he needs our assistance."

"Of course," he said, although it was clear his heart wasn't in his words. He was merely parroting the response he knew he should be giving. Haru wasn't fooled. She turned to the desk and began rummaging through the contents of the drawers with more energy than usual.

"I know we should have at least one empty portal crystal here somewhere… Natoru finally sent a box through, although it's taken him long enough." Her words continued to come, as if she could talk Baron back into his old self. As if, if she sounded cheerful enough, he would revert to normal. "So all we need to do is set up an intraworld portal, right? But… Brody didn't leave us with coordinates, did he? So how are we meant to – oh, for goodness sake!" The drawer abruptly fell out of the desk and Haru fumbled for it. She missed it entirely and the contents emptied themselves across the floor. "Aw, rats! Sorry, Baron…"

She dropped down to start scooping it all back into the drawer, and as she was returning a second handful, she paused.

Usually by now, when such accidents occurred, Baron would have already stepped in to lend a hand.

She looked up to the Creation. He stood by his chair, but had otherwise been unmoved. His eyes were clouded as he watched her clear up the mess. She wished she could say that his mind was clearly battling against an inner turmoil, but there wasn't even that there. His eyes appeared to be simply… blank. As if his mind had ground to a halt.

"Baron…"

He blinked, and the moment passed. The cogs in his mind began to whirr again. He smiled, but the smile was empty. "Of course, Miss Haru. May I assist you with that?"

The claim that she was managing fine almost rose to her lips instinctively, but she pushed it aside. Small steps, after all. His time with CAP had taught him that his help was unneeded. Dangerous, even. "Yes, please."

The smile remained unwaveringly in place as he knelt down beside her. His movements were careful and measured, applying only the necessary actions required to help.

Small steps.

She finally found the box containing the empty portal crystals and drew them out. A single sheet of paper slipped away with it.

It was slightly dust-encrusted, with smudges round the edge where desperate fingers had torn it from a pocket, with a familiar symbol etched into the centre.

Baron's imperfect spell for achieving humanity.

She felt Baron's gaze shift to her as she (very carefully) held the edges of the page. After a doubtful moment, she pocketed it.

"There's really no need for that…" Baron began.

"Who knows when it might come in handy," she rebuffed. "After all, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't used this to help you dig me out of the old shrine well. I would be six feet under. Literally."

"You wouldn't have been in any such danger at all had we not dragged you into such circumstances–"

Haru snorted. "You did not 'drag' me into anything, Baron. I came of my own accord, and stayed of it too. Not to mention the fact that I've saved you as many times as you've saved me." She paused, and attempted to calculate a quick sum. Then, after a dubious moment, added, "Probably." She found the lapis lazuli also the in process and held it over to the Creation. "Can this take more magic, do you think?"

"I believe so."

She glanced back down the stone, shrugged, and then stowed it away in her bag. "Who knows what we might be facing," she said. "Brody mentioned something about animatronics coming to life, right? So perhaps it's more of the Creation magic floating about. You know, bringing things to life and stuff."

"Perhaps."

She waited for him to add more, but, for once, he was silent. A strange, sad smile settled over her lips and she gently leant against him. He froze, but did not move away. "Just for the record," she murmured, "I don't believe the Sanctuary would have picked up that distress signal unless it thought Brody really needed us. Come on – I'm going to need your help in finding a way to get there."

She took his hands in hers and dragged them both back to their feet.

"I… I had a tracking crystal that I used to aid us in last helping Darcy and Dawson. If I use the SOS and reverse the signal to backtrack to its origin..." Baron haltingly suggested. As soon as the offer of help passed his lips, a shadow passed over his eyes and he abruptly shook his head. "No, that is a reckless idea. The crystal only works between worlds; it will not be specific enough to travel across this world alone."

"We'll never know if we don't try. Come on – you can set up the crystal while I track down our missing Bureau members. Where are they anyway?"

"Muta said he would be at the Crossroads," Baron said. "Toto is out on a flight."

"Well, I can certainly bring back Muta then. Not so sure about Toto," Haru laughed, "but I guess he'll return in his own time." She started to release Baron's hand but then, on impulse, she abruptly drew him into a hug. Her cheeks reddened as she tightened her arms around him and buried her head into his shoulder. "Please… believe in yourself, Baron. I miss you."

"I'm right here, Miss Haru."

"No. You're not." She inhaled the familiar scent of tea and mint, but even that did not heal the loss. The voice was right, but the words and tone all wrong. Even his response to her impromptu embrace was empty. She closed her eyes. "You're not here. Not really. Please come back."

She waited for a reply and, when there was none, she loosened her grip. She began to step away, but, at the last moment, Baron's arms rose to circle her. Hesitantly, he hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Haru. I'm trying."

"That's all I need to hear," she whispered. Impulsively, she hugged him again and then released him. She smiled that same sad smile, and turned to leave the Bureau behind her. The further she walked from the Sanctuary, the greater the gravity of the situation sank into her. Now without Baron to hide her grief from, tears began to well up in her eyes. She wiped them away with her wrist, earning a few strange looks from passers-by as she went. Eventually, she came to the little café where Muta would often rest at and, sure enough, there was the familiar fat cat sleeping on a chair.

She knelt down to his eye level and scratched him behind the ear. He groaned as he woke up, and then began to purr. "Heya, Chicky."

"Heya, Muta," she replied. "We need to go back to the Bureau. I think we have a new case."

"Oh goody. Just what Baron needs." He stretched and gave a slow yawn. "Not even being sarcastic. So who's in trouble this time?"

"Martin Brody. You remember him, right?"

"Eh. The guy with the fish problem?"

"That'd… probably be him."

"Alright, I'm coming." Muta stretched again and ungainly dropped down to the cobbled street of the Crossroads. He started to trot back in the direction of the Bureau, with Haru close on his heels. As they came to a quieter road, Muta asked, "So, how's Baron doing?"

"Still shaken. It's worse than the time with the kitsune," Haru admitted.

"That kid really did a number on him, didn't it?"

"You can say that again." Unbidden, the memory of seeing Baron caught in CAP's world rose to her mind, and a flurry of words teetered at the edge of her thoughts. _Tired_ would be a kind word. _Broken_ would be the reality. "He'll get better, won't he?"

Muta grunted and upped his pace.

"Muta…?"

"I don't know."

"Oh." Haru began to slow and the thought that this was their new Baron – a Baron whose purpose in life had been scraped away to leave nothing but a hollow shell – eventually stopped her in her tracks. Pain heaved at her heart as she tried to keep back the sobs. Even so, tears splattered down onto the pavement at her feet. "We… We should have got there sooner," she whispered. "We shouldn't have let it get so bad. He would never have let the same happen to us."

Muta halted and turned back to look to the brunette. "Hey, Chicky…"

"It's just… I don't know how to help. I don't know what to do, Muta. And I can't help thinking that… that it's my fault for not getting to him sooner. Sticking his nose in other's business is what he does. It's who he is. And now… He's _hurting_ , Muta, and I don't know how to fix it."

Muta padded back over to her and rubbed up against Haru's legs. "Hey, it ain't your fault. Sometimes things go wrong and there's nothing you can do about it." He butted his head lightly against her leg. "Come on, Chicky; let's get back to the Bureau. He'll get better, you'll see. There ain't nothing that can keep our Baron down for long."

Haru attempted a smile, for Muta's sake. "Yeah. You're right. He's strong, after all."

"Good. Then let's go." He wove past her and continued along the little alleyway. Haru gave one last resolved sigh and started after him. The route they took was a simple one, for neither individual felt up to their more elaborate courses to the Sanctuary. They trotted along until they reached the archway that marked their little side-world, where they could see Toto landing back on his column.

"Hello, Toto."

"Hello, Haru. Fatso."

"Why don't you come down here and say that to my face?!"

"Has Baron told you about the distress call we just received?" Haru called over to the crow Creation. As always, she shrank down to size upon stepping across the Sanctuary's threshold.

Toto tilted his head curiously to one side. "Is he in?"

"In? Of course he's in – or, at least, he was when I…" She trailed off as an uneasy thought hit her. "No… He _wouldn't_ …"

"Wouldn't what, Chicky?"

She was already running to the Bureau doors. She slammed them open and sprinted inside to see the very scenario she had feared. An empty Bureau. "No…"

"Don't tell me he's been kidnapped again."

Toto flew to the Bureau's balcony windows and dropped down onto the railings. "Are you a moron – wait, stupid question. Should've known a puddingbrain such as yourself wouldn't be able to pick up simple portal magic–"

"He's gone," Haru whispered. "He's gone without us."

"Eh? Say again, Chicky?"

"Are you deaf? She said he's gone–"

"I heard that, chickenwings! Baron wouldn't just take off like that–"

"He would if he was afraid for us," Haru said.

"Yeah, but I'm sure we've tackled much more dangerous stuff in the past. This ain't like it's the first time we've gone running head-first into something that wants to murder us. Hey, just look at what happened in the art gallery – and that ain't even the worst of it–"

"It's not us he doesn't trust. It's himself. He's worried he won't be able to protect us; that his attempts to help will only be dangerous for us."

Muta scoffed and padded into the room. "Nah, you've got to have got it wrong. Baron wouldn't do that."

Haru trailed behind him, stopping at Baron's desk. "You didn't see him in that world, Muta," she murmured. "Every time he tried to help… he only made matters worse. He doesn't want us to get caught up in it. Look…" She trailed her fingers over the remains of the vinyl record; once it had held the distress call that he must have used with the tracking crystal to get to Brody, but now it lay shattered over the desk. "He doesn't want us following him."

"Perhaps we should stand back then," Toto suggested. "If this is what he wants, what he feels like he must do–"

"No."

"Oh, ruddy hell," Muta muttered. "Here we go again. Look, Chicky; Baron's made it quite clear–"

"Don't you see? He was afraid, and he still went. He's still gone to help Brody, even after everything CAP put him through… How can we just leave him now?"

"Yeah, but how exactly are we gonna get to him? It ain't as if he's just left a trail of breadcrumbs for us to follow. Do we even know where he is?"

Haru ran her hands through her hair. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Muta had a point. The portal crystals were made for travelling between other worlds, not for travel within their own. Her gaze swept across the Bureau for signs of something Baron might have left that would grant them passage… and then her eyes stopped on Absolem's ring.

"Muta, Toto, I'm going to need you two to get over here."

"This sounds like some sort of crazy plan, kid–"

"I guess it sort of is," Haru admitted. "Now get over here. I think we should all travel together if we keep contact. And if we don't… well, I'll have to come back and figure out a way instead. Muta, get over here."

Muta grumbled, but shuffled over to the brunette. Toto jumped down from the balcony and landed on the sofa. "So now what, Haru?"

"I'm going to need you and Muta to grab each other's wing or paw or whatever – just keep hold and don't let go – and try not to be too confused when we get there. Okay. Ready?" She gave them no time to answer for, as soon as she saw they were keeping contact, she grabbed Muta's free paw and dropped her other hand down onto the ring.

ooOoo

Haru's second trip into the Wood Between Worlds was substantially more disorientating than before. She stumbled out of the pond and collapsed down onto soft grass with a relieved sigh. After several moments, she glanced to her side and saw a cat and a crow wandering along the dappled woodland. They were hurdling insults at each other and, for some reason, a talking cat and crow seemed quite normal.

If she could just lie back in this beautiful woodland forever…

Wait.

No, she couldn't.

There was something she had to do. Something urgent. Something about someone very important. She had come here for a reason, hadn't she?

"Yeah? Well go fry yourself, ya big chicken!"

"Can't you tell the difference between a chicken and a crow, you idiot?"

Bright green eyes floated through her mind and she latched on to the thought. She needed to do something…

Slowly, her memories began to filter back to her. Baron. The Bureau. The distress call. And Baron again.

She groaned and pushed herself up. She shook the peaceful, forgetful atmosphere out of her head with a faint scowl; she'd had enough of memory-manipulation magic to last her a lifetime. Was this going to happen every time? Perhaps Absolem's memory smoke had buffered the worst of the effects last time. Unsteadily rising to her feet, she padded over to the cat and crow – Muta and Toto, she corrected herself – and grabbed the scruff of both their necks. She held them up, far enough apart to keep them out of the other's reach.

"Trust you to come to a world where you're made to forget everything and the air practically oozes peace, and yet you're _still_ trying to rip each other's throat out," she admonished. "Can't you ever work together?"

"Hey, butt out of this, lady!"

Haru hoisted Muta further up so she was staring straight into his small, dark eyes. "Renaldo Moon, get off your high horse and bring your mind back to reality. Baron? The Bureau? Important case? Is any of this ringing any bells?"

"H… Haru?" Toto gasped.

"Well, I see at least one of you remembers. How about you, Muta?"

The cat blinked, and stopped trying to pry himself loose. "Chicky?"

"Halleluiah, they're back. Now, if I put you back down, are you going to stop fighting long enough so we can find Baron?"

"Sure, sure. Just lettgo already."

She shrugged and released both animals.

"Ya didn't need to drop me!"

"And you could have asked nicely."

Toto snickered and landed on Haru's shoulder. "Where are we, Haru?"

"I think this place is called the Wood Between Worlds," Haru said.

"Did Baron tell ya that?"

"No. Actually I'm just guessing, but I found mention of this place in a child's story." She dropped a hand into her pocket and drew out the golden ring. "The pools, the ring, and now the temporary memory loss… It all fits."

"So how do we get to Baron?"

The brunette pointed to a pond where a patch of grass had been cut short before it to reveal a line of red soil. "That should lead us to the Human World." After a moment's hesitation, she pointed to a much smaller pond flanking its side. How had she not spotted it before? "I think that leads back to the Sanctuary – it is a separate little world of its own, after all. The golden ring brings us into this world, and my portal magic should allow us to travel back through any of the ponds."

Muta waddled over to the Human World pond and dipped a dubious paw into its depths. "So… if the golden ring gets ya here, then how does everyone else get out? 'Cause I doubt everyone else has someone like you with them."

"The story mentioned a green ring that you had to wear while jumping into the ponds, but Absolem said something about the other rings being long lost." She safely pocketed the ring and knelt down to inspect the pond before them.

"Haru, there's no guarantee that the pond will drop us at the right place," Toto warned. "We could end up anywhere."

"We could," Haru admitted, "but I have an idea. I think… I think that I could focus in on Baron's magic signature and use that to land us somewhere near him."

"And what makes you so sure?" Muta demanded. "I don't wanna end up in the middle of the ocean or something!"

"Okay, so it's just a theory. But… Baron was created by my father, right?" A hand drifted up to the necklace about her neck. "And when there was the disaster with the size-changing enchantment, he gave me some of his magic, didn't he? So… I'm hoping that there should be enough connection between us for me to follow that link."

"That seems like an awful lot of _ifs_ and _maybes_."

"I didn't say either even once, Muta." She dragged him over to her before he could start slinking off. "Anyway, we can't stay around here all day. Ready?"

"You asked that last time, Chicky, and you didn't even–"

Haru dropped a hand down into the ponds waters and felt the portal magic instantly respond to her touch. It drew her down into its depths, bringing Toto and Muta along with her. It was as if she trod water while the world swam before her in glorious, dizzying multicolour. She tried to search for the same strain of magic that lay within her, and suddenly it was as if she stood on the tightrope between two sheer drops. Along these lines, a different choice lay on each side.

To her left lay a dark, unlit restaurant. To the right swirled glass cabinets filled with fantastical creatures, all still and silent. Both sides dangled that strain of Baron's magic that she was searching for, but surely only one was the real Baron. She lingered between the two landscapes, and the scenes began to dissolve.

"Quick, Haru! Go before the portal collapses!"

Toto's cry reminded her that she was dangling between worlds – somewhere where mortals were never meant to stay – but she was still torn. Which way was the right one? To the right, the museum-like environment continued to spin through, until it passed by a creature with a human face and dusty, tattered wings rising from its back. As the images spun by it, it twisted its head to reveal vampire-worthy fangs. It lunged through the air, its chest ripping free from its lower torso as it sprung–

Haru stumbled back and the world to her left - the dark but quiet restaurant - drew her in.

The light and colour of the portal dimension shattered and suddenly Haru was standing alone in the corner of a dimly-lit room. The only lights were the eerie safety lights that emitted a weak glow that rendered the room before her into monochrome shades. The place was silent and still, with table set out for customers the next morning and an empty stage where a band would presumably play.

A staggering pain rippled through Haru and she dropped the floor. She leant against the corner, hands stuffed over her mouth to hold back the screech as agony tore through her. Tears – how many tears had she shed today? – sprung up to her closed eyes and a whimper escaped past her lips.

She had pushed herself too far. She had lingered between worlds carrying both Toto and Muta with her. Opening portals was one thing; suspending herself and passengers in the dimension between worlds was another thing entirely. The strain left her magic shaky and her stomach fit to empty itself.

With time, the worst of the pain began to recede and her ears took in the whirring of clockwork. Her eyes eased themselves open and took stock of the shadow looming over her.

Slowly, she lifted her head up.

An animatronic bear stood before her.

It hummed with electronic life, its eyes and teeth startlingly white in the dim light, and held a (possibly fake) microphone in one oversized paw. A top hat sat, forever fixed, between its rounded ears.

It tilted its head to one side, staring down at the human. Haru's breath caught in her throat. She could see the metal endoskeleton jutting out at the elbow, the neck, and even the insides of its mouth, all startling reminders that this should be nothing more than a… a programmed toy.

And still, it stared down at her with an empty gaze that somehow seemed to focus intently on her. The electronics continued to whirr, breaking the heavy silence of the restaurant. And then, very, very slowly, it began to reach out.

Haru jolted back against the wall, shaking the tears free from her cheeks in the process.

The bear paused.

Suddenly, battle cries erupted from the far side of the room. The bear snapped away from her and disappeared down a corridor, leaving Haru frozen in the corner.

Toto and Muta swept over to her.

"Yeah! Get going, ya freak!" Muta snarled. He misjudged the distance and slammed into Haru. "What the hell was that, Chicky?"

Haru swallowed and then slowly dropped her hands away from her mouth. "I think… I think that was one of the animatronics Brody mentioned," she whispered. "Guess we are in the right place after all."

"Haru, are you okay? You look a little pale."

"I think I overstretched myself on bringing both of you along and then dawdling between worlds," she said. "I've never had to ask so much of my magic before. Usually it's just opening the portal and jumping through…" A pang of revulsion rolled through her and the remnant sickness from her over-exertion threatened to induce fresh vomiting.

"Eh, look out – she's gonna hurl!"

"I'm fine."

"Ya sound like you're about to croak, Chicky."

"I just need… a moment…" She closed her eyes and, as her breathing slowed, the disorientation began to fade. "Toto, did that… that thing have Creation magic?"

"I believe so. It looks like we're encountering another consequence of the released magic from your friend."

"If we had known it was going to create this much trouble, we should have just used the lapis lazuli in the first place," Haru noted weakly. "I guess hindsight really is 20-20." She groaned and unsteadily pushed herself up onto her feet.

"Are you ready to continue, Haru?"

"Continue where?" Muta demanded. "Where the heck are we even?"

"Our first goal should be to find Brody – and/or Baron," Haru said.

"That's all fine and dandy, but how are we meant to do that?"

Haru pointed to a black box that was secured up against the wall. The little security camera's red light bleeped as it focused on a set of purple curtains with an "out of order" sign rooted before them. "Well, there's probably someone watching the cameras, right? So if we find them, perhaps they'll be able to tell us whether Baron or Brody are around."

"If they're on security, there's probably a back room or something alike for just such purposes," Toto said. "Although, there is a good chance that this is an automated system."

"Automated or not, the security office would be a prime place to investigate," Haru replied. "Hey, Toto… what are you doing?"

"The light has stopped flashing," the crow said. He flew over to the camera and landed on top of it. He leant down and examined the machine's lens. "Do you think something might have gone wrong?"

The camera blinked back into life and there was a scream from elsewhere in the building as, whoever was keeping watch, suddenly caught sight of nothing but Toto's beady eye on their screen.

"Guess there is someone watching the cameras after all," Haru said with a guilty laugh.

"Yeah, and birdbrain's just managed to scare them witless. Going going, moron."

"It was an honest mistake, lardball."

"It sounded like the scream came from that way," Haru prompted, quickly attempting to bring the budding argument under wraps. She pointed loosely down the corridor behind them. It was dark – no surprise there – save for the flash of the safety light. What little they could see of the scene was of tiled floors and old children's drawings pinned to the walls. It was probably cute, in a manner of speaking, during the day.

"Geez, I just hate creepy dark passages."

Haru started to tiptoe down the corridor, fetching a torch from her bag as she went. The newfound light yielded no breakthroughs on their situation, except for a clearer look at the children's drawings.

"You'd have thought you'd be sick of kid's stuff by now, Chicky. What with Mary and Cap and all that."

Haru shone the torch over the colourful sketches. "All these show the same… four animals," she noted, taking stock of the repeated motifs. Her light hovered over one of a bear with a top hat and a microphone. "Animatronics," she muttered.

"What?"

"Brody said the _animatronics_ really do come to life," she repeated. "Plural. So where… are the rest?"

There was a creak of something moving in the restaurant section they'd left behind them, and Muta gave a despairing groan. "I hate it when you ask questions like that."

Haru abruptly swung her torchlight across the corridor, where it came to rest on a sturdy – if slightly dented – door. "That looks like a good place to put a security room," she said, heading towards it. She shifted her light and shone it onto another security camera resting above them. The little security light blipped.

"They can see us," Toto noted.

"Yeah… So why," she asked as she tugged on the metal handle of the door, "won't they let us in?"

The movement from the main room shuffled again, and this time there was the unmistakable _tap-tap-tap_ of heavy feet running down towards them. Towards the guard room. But mostly towards them.

"Hey! Let us in!" Muta began pounding his paws against the door. "I don't wanna become bear food!"

From inside there was the muffled shouts of an argument – one from someone Haru hadn't heard in two years, and the other from an irate Baron. She couldn't make out the words – only the furious, desperate tones from each. She hammered her hand against the door for good measure as whatever was running towards them began closing in.

"Come on, open up," she hissed. "Any time now would be great!"

Her torchlight shone down the corridor, and so caught full site of the creature veering towards them.

Its origins were definitely that of a fox, but Haru had little time to dwell on that. Instead her eyes went to the hook it had in place of a hand and the pseudo-canine teeth fitted into its mouth. Her grip on her torch began to shake and, in the process, she caught the switch.

Their world dropped into darkness but the pounding footsteps were still coming.

She fumbled to turn it back on and, in the moment that she found the switch, the creature seemed to pause. Just barely. Just enough to see. But, perhaps, just enough to grant them a few seconds more.

"Cover your eyes, guys," she warned, and she began to flick the torch's switch with pure abandon.

The rapid fluctuation in light appeared to baffle the fox. It slowed.

Suddenly the door behind them opened and Muta fell back. Haru felt someone grab her collar and hoist her inside – instinctively she grabbed Toto and dragged him in with her. Then, just as abruptly as they had been saved, the door was slammed shut.

Haru was released and she collapsed down onto the ground. Something was banging on the door – presumably the fox – but it wasn't getting in any time soon. She groaned, looked over to the man who had just saved her, and scowled. "Took you long enough."

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N: Yes, this is borrowing the characters of Five Nights at Freddy's; no, I am not trying to account for all of the lore and, no, it won't be strictly accurate to canon. When I first started on this idea, only the first FNAF had been released and so, while there may be references to the sequels, this is mostly based on the storyline of the original game.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"And… what exactly do they do when they attack?" "They stuff you inside an unused animatronic." "That doesn't sound so bad." / The rabbit's face was so close to the camera that, had it had breath, it would have fogged up the glass. Half-lidded, unblinking eyes stared into the screen. / He activated the spell and landed onto the floor, now half a head taller than Haru and still half-feline. That, and also shirtless. / "Miss Haru… I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you. I've been selfish."**_


	10. The Fifth Night (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **Episode 10: The Fifth Night (Part 2)**

Chief Inspector Martin Brody seemed unperturbed by Haru's accusing tone.

Chief Inspector Martin Brody had also seen better days. If he had a checklist of tiredness clichés, he could probably have marked half of them off in a moment, right from the bags under his eyes to the pale pallor of his skin.

"It was foolish to open the door with Foxy so close," he merely said. "Personally, I was against such irrational undertakings, but your companion convinced me otherwise." He gestured to the foot-high Creation standing on the desk, who had one gloved hand raised above a button that Haru could only assume was for the door.

The Creation stared over at his companions with a mixture of tepid confusion and sorrow.

"You shouldn't have come," he said.

"Oh, yeah, thanks for that," Muta snorted, picking himself off the floor. "Couldn't have worked _that_ out from the way ya left us hanging. Yeah, thanks for the update."

Haru motioned towards Muta to indicate she was more or less on the same wavelength where this was concerned, sarcasm included. She was too tired to wheel out the sarcasm that Muta was falling back onto; instead she only gave a tired admonishment of, "You shouldn't have just left like that."

"I was only doing what I felt was best–"

"We were worried, Baron. Think about what happened last time you disappeared." After a wince, she added, "Sorry. And, even if you had left a note, we would still have worried. We're a team; we work together, we celebrate together, and, yes, we face danger together. That's all part of being a team." She exhaled, trying to release all the anger that had been borne out of worry for the Creation. Shouting would do no good. "Please, don't do this again."

Baron nodded, although she sensed no real conviction from him. "Understood. I was merely trying to protect you…"

 _From what?_ Haru wanted to ask. The animatronics, or the danger of his own help?

"And you've done a great job of protecting me," she assured him. "Think about the Cat Kingdom incident – and just a few weeks back, you saved me when the komainu buried me, not to mention when there was the bird attacks…" she trailed off as she tried to search for incidents that hadn't involved her being dragged into danger because of the Bureau in the first place. It was a little difficult.

"And, just as many times, my attempts to help have also put you into terrible, terrible danger, Haru."

"What, don't we get a mention?" Muta muttered. "She ain't the only one who's – _ow_!" He glared daggers at the crow who had just pointedly batted him with a wing.

Haru leant down so that her eyes were on level with the Creation. "You've always protected me," she repeated softly, but with no less conviction than before. A wan, bittersweet smile slipped over her lips. "I have never doubted that, or you. Yes, sometimes you make really, _really_ stupid decisions," she said, thinking not least of the rose fiasco in the gallery, "but they have always been for the best of others. Just sometimes… not in your best interests."

"The tracking crystal could have malfunction in bringing us here," Baron said. "It was better that I went alone."

Muta snorted loudly. "Ya do realise that Chicky just dragged us across the worlds instead of taking your fancy 'tracker crystal' instead? Which do ya think was more dangerous?"

"You did _what,_ Miss Haru?"

Haru grinned weakly and retrieved the ring from where she had slipped it into her bag, taking care to take it out with a tissue to avoid any physical contact. She didn't want to be sent back to the Wood Between Worlds, not after the chaos it took to get here. "Did you really think we would let you go alone? Like I said before: We're a team."

"How… How did you manage to narrow down your location to here?" he asked eventually.

"It turns out I can track down your magic, what with its similarities with mine and all," she admitted. "Although I don't think I'll be able to use the same trick for anyone else."

"This reunion is touching," Brody said, and the Bureau were quickly dragged back to the present, "but I believe we have a more pressing issue at hand." He nodded once to the newcomers. "Not that it isn't a pleasure to meet you again." His gaze paused over Haru and he added, "Even if I'm surprised some of you have stayed in the Bureau for so long."

"So long?" Haru echoed. "It's only been a few years."

"A few years with a lot of close calls, I'll reckon."

Haru opened her mouth to dispute that claim, and then quickly shut it. She made a face and attempted a half-hearted shrug. "I think you'll find I'm little bit more difficult to get rid of than that. Anyway, I think it's time that we got some answers." She pointed to the door that had re-opened; now there was nothing in the corridor beyond but the still-vivid memory of the creature. "I think we could do with knowing exactly what trouble we're in."

"Yeah, and why the heck is that door now open? Didn't ya see the… the thing that tried to eat us?"

"Muta, it didn't try to eat us."

"How do you know, Chicky? Do you wanna stick around to find out?"

"We're running on limited power here," Brody calmly explained. "When the doors close, they use up that power."

"Sounds stupid, but okay."

Brody took a leaf out of Baron's book and studiously ignored Muta's side comment. "With the way that I've seen the animatronics attack so far, it seems like, as long as we keep an eye on both doors," and at this point Haru realised there was _another_ open doorway on the other side of the office, "and the camera monitor, we should be able to shut it before they attack."

"And… what exactly do they do when they attack?"

"They stuff you inside an unused animatronic."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

Brody glanced to the fat cat. "Maybe not to you, but for us humans? The endoskeleton means there isn't much room for an extra body to go. Especially not in the facial area."

Haru paled. "Oh. I didn't need that image."

"I believe the Creation magic released may have played a pivotal part in reawakening these souls," Baron informed them. He took over explaining from Brody, but there was a shadow of unease across his face. Perhaps he didn't like to remember that it had been his attempt to release magic from Hiromi that had caused so many new or freshly-awoken Creations. "Over thirty years ago, there were stories of these animatronics attacking night guards until the pizzeria brought in a couple of experienced… well, I believe the term they use is exorcists. After that, the attacks stopped."

"Until we woke them back up again," Haru finished with a groan. She sighed, and then hesitated. "Wait… Can exorcists… I don't know, _remove_ Creations? I thought the term only applied to, you know, ghosts and that sort."

"They can't," Toto said. "Only ghosts and spirits."

"Hey, guys… I dunno much about these monitor thingys, but I'm pretty sure that's new…" Muta stepped away from the screen he had been flicking switches on, and pointed to the rabbit animatronic staring straight into the security camera.

Brody swore and snatched up the monitor. "Which camera is it? Where is it?!" he hissed. "Ooh… You're coming from the left again, are you? Just try it!" He leapt over and slammed the left door shut just as a purple shadow began to fill the doorway. "Say hello to Bonnie, boys and girls," Brody snarled. "The velveteen rabbit that went wrong."

"How… How long is it going to be out there?" Haru asked.

"Long enough." Brody changed the camera on the monitor, bringing up the one that was situated right outside the office. The rabbit's face was so close to the camera that, had it had breath, it would have fogged up the glass. Half-lidded, unblinking eyes stared into the screen.

Muta hissed and leapt back. Haru's heart took a similar jump in her chest.

"Does he often stand like that?" she whispered.

"Oh, it gets better. Just watch."

With its eternal smile fixed in place, the head of Bonnie began to twitch.

Brody grimaced and changed the output again, this time selecting a camera that watched a set of purple curtains. Haru recognised the setting as the camera Toto had stood in front of earlier.

"We – we were there before–" she started.

"I know. Nearly gave me a heart attack when he," and Brody pointed over to the crow Creation, "decided to hop before it."

"Sorry."

"Pirate Cove is where Foxy usually stays," he continued. "He's the fastest out of all the animatronics, and gives practically no warning. If you hear his footsteps running, you'd better close that door." He switched the camera output again, and this time the screen went blank. Blank, but not silent. "That's the camera for the kitchen. According to the records, it's been broken for years."

Muta edged towards Haru. "And… what's that sound?"

"Just Chica messing about, I think," Brody answered. "As long as you can hear her, she's probably not going anywhere. It's when it gets quiet that you know she's on the move."

"Okay, so there's Chica, Foxy, Bonnie… So who, or _what_ , I guess, was the bear I saw earlier?"

"That'll be Freddy. I guess you could call him the leader, if such a term could be applied to these creatures. As far as I can tell, they don't communicate, but I haven't exactly been testing that out." He switched the camera back to the one outside the left door, and now the corridor beyond seemed empty.

Haru shuffled towards the monitor and curiously began flicking through the cameras. Dining area. Supply closet. Show stage. Toilet corridor. Kitchen. Pirate Cove. The corridors on either side of the office. Backstage.

She paused over the last one, where rows of spare parts and empty animatronic suits sat silently in the dim darkness of the room. "And that's where…"

"That's where you'll get stuffed into a suit if you're caught, yes."

"This is gonna sound stupid–"

"Then why ask it, dumbo?"

"Shut up, birdbrain! But why can't ya just leave?"

"Leave how? There's no way I can keep an eye on the animatronics while I'm out of this office," Brody said. "I can't even call for help – there's practically no signal in this place."

"You can't," Haru said slowly, "but… if one of us left while you watched the monitor…"

Baron stepped forward. "Miss Haru, you can't–"

"Can't what? Brody, how long does the night shift last?"

"Until six. The animatronics stop then–"

"But that still gives us three hours. Three hours to survive on…" she looked back to the monitor, "on twenty percent power. I'm going to guess that's not nearly enough."

Brody nodded. "Once the power goes, we'll be left in the dark, with both doors open, and all four animatronics coming for us. Talking of which…" He switched the camera back to the one outside the left door of the office, and now Bonnie was nowhere to be seen. He muttered something less-than-savoury in relief, and released the lock. The door opened up again to reveal an empty corridor. "As I was saying, our chance of survival would be minimal."

"So there has to be something we can do before that happens, right?"

The chief inspector was quiet for a moment, instinctively flicking through the monitor outputs as he went. Then, "If I can contact the rest of my team, I could get them here to supply back-up. The signal outside this building is limited, but it would be an improvement on the complete lack here."

"Couldn't ya just use the ring and take us all back to that weird world, Chicky?"

Haru chuckled humourlessly. "I don't think so, Muta. I nearly passed out just from trying to carry you and Toto. I'm not sure… I'm not sure I could get us all safely back through the Wood Between Worlds."

"It would be best to avoid dabbling in magic we do not fully understand yet," Baron agreed. "However, Miss Haru, I do not think that it makes the use of the ring void. You are fully capable of returning back to the Sanctuary–"

"Alone? No way, Baron; I'm not going anywhere. You're going to need someone to get outside and contact Brody's team, aren't you?"

Here, even Brody looked sceptical. "Are you quite sure that you…?"

"I don't see how we're left with much option. You know how to run the monitor system and you know the habits of the animatronics; you're obviously the best person to keep watch on this end. And as for contacting your team, I'm not sure leaving it up to the cat and crow is such a good idea," she said, sweeping an arm towards Toto and Muta. "After all, they can hardly work a walkie-talkie or a phone."

"No. But I can."

All eyes abruptly turned to the cat Creation. He tipped his hat to them; a motion of the old Baron. "I will not risk any of you. I am the most suitable for the task at hand; I can work both a walkie-talkie and a phone, and I may also be able to pass by unnoticed by the animatronics. Chief Inspector Brody explained how it is theorised that the animatronics see humans as endoskeletons lacking an animatronic suit, which is why they have such a history of stuffing people into the spare suits. Given my appearance, it seems logical that they should overlook my presence."

"Yes, but you're only, what, a foot tall; you can't exactly hold either–" Haru began to remind him.

"You had the foresight to bring my spell–"

"Your _imperfect_ spell," she curtly amended.

"Yes, but the size-altering aspect is all I require. And, as I've already highlighted, I will likely be of little risk of attack by the animatronics, in comparison to yourself. It seems I am, by far, the most suitable candidate." He paused in his logical analysis and tilted his head towards the lone human Bureau member. "Why are you worried, Haru? I would have thought you would be happy to see me helping again."

"I…" She hesitated. "Not like this."

"Well, whatever we're doing, we better come to an agreement soon," Brody broke in. He leant back from the monitor he was keeping track of. "Whoever's going should get going before we get company."

Haru shook her head. "Alright. Okay. Baron, you should go." She fished out the page – now becoming steadily more tattered as it was dragged around from case to case – and passed the enchanted paper over to the Creation. "But don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it."

He nodded and hopped off the desk; in the same instant he activated the spell and landed onto the floor, now half a head taller than Haru and still half-feline.

That, and also shirtless.

Haru abruptly broke into a full flush and was suddenly finding the floor _oh so very_ interesting. Mumbling inarticulate gibberish, she stumbled back, thus putting some much-desired distance between herself and the tawny-furred chest. Her eyes instinctively glanced down and were very relieved to see that his lower attire had grown with him. Eventually, her brain kicked back into gear and she reined in her slack jaw. "Baron," she coughed. "Your _clothes_ …"

Muta snickered. "Looks like the magic didn't work so great, huh?" He prodded an extended claw at a familiar miniature bow tie, vest, and jacket that had been lost in the spell. He snickered again and nudged Haru. "Don't see why you're complaining, Chicky."

"Muta!" Haru was horrified – with the blush to confirm it – but Brody was already fishing a spare security guard jacket out of the box and throwing it towards Baron. The Creation looked very thankful as he pulled it over his shoulders. His chest was still partly visible, but it was a start.

"Thank you, Chief Inspector." He gave a cough and Haru was partly comforted by the fact that her embarrassment was shared, if the hint of a blush was anything to go by. He caught her eye, and their mutual embarrassment gave way to grins. For a moment, a spark of the old Baron broke through.

"So, what happened?" Muta asked. He continued to prod at the forgotten clothes, which Baron promptly swept back up and pocketed. "That didn't happen last time… did it?"

"No. I must have… have made a mistake in the spell." Suddenly, the spark disappeared and Baron was straightening up; he automatically made to straighten his hat also, but that had been one of the spell's causalities. For a moment, his hand hung useless where the hat's brim would usually rest, and then dropped down to tug at the new jacket's collar. "Chief Inspector, if you would give me the walkie-talkie and the phone… Which door should I take?"

Brody passed across the electronics, and then pulled the monitor back towards him. "It looks like Foxy is getting fidgety again, so I suggest you take the right one; the left will take you right past him and, trust me, you don't want him chasing after you."

"I second that," Haru added.

"If you take the right corridor, it will lead you to the dining area. Then, to your right, there should be three sets of doors – two of them lead to the restrooms and one to the kitchen. If you do find yourself chased, avoid the kitchen – I have no visual, only audio for that place – and don't go for the backstage area either. There's no point making it even easier for them to stuff you." He switched the camera from the backstage to the dining area. "And you should have no problem spotting the exit from there."

Baron nodded. "Understood."

"Hey, wait." Haru opened up her bag and withdrew her heavy duty torch. "Take this too – I think the light last time slowed Foxy down and… well, if that doesn't work, it's still pretty good club."

Once upon a time, that might have elicited a chuckle from the Creation. All that it earned now was a glance to the offered torch, which was then gently taken from her. "Thank you, Miss Haru."

' _And… now we've slid right back_.' Externally Haru tried to smile. "Welcome. Now get going. You've got some saving to be doing." She watched him nod in return and then start down the darkened corridor.

Once he was gone, the half-hearted smile slipped away.

"Right, it seems Chica is in the kitchen still, Foxy's in Pirate Cove, Bonnie is in the supply closet… and Freddy is in the backstage area," Brody summarised down the walkie-talkie, flicking through the cameras. On more than one occasion, the mentioned animatronic was staring straight into the screen. Haru fought back the shivers and just kept her gaze on the monitor.

" _So I should have a clear run to the exit,_ " Baron replied down the line.

"Yes, but I wouldn't advise running… Wait."

There was a crackle down the line as Baron activated the reply button on his device. " _What?_ "

"Freddy has moved."

" _Where to?_ "

"I'm looking," Brody hissed. He shifted through the cameras, becoming increasingly frustrated as there was still no sign of the bear. Momentarily the monitor changed to the hallway which Baron stood, the walkie-talkie raised to an ear as he slowly crept onwards. And then it switched to Pirate Cove, where the nose of Foxy was poking out. "Crud."

" _Who's on the move?_ "

"Foxy. I think you'd better get back here–"

" _No. I can see the exit. I can reach it_."

Brody growled some more expletives that Haru failed to catch, and shifted the monitor to show the dining area. True enough, there was Baron. Walking as calmly as he dared along the far right side. After a moment, Brody instinctively began to switch between the other cameras. Both halls… empty. Supply closet… empty.

Kitchen… quiet.

" _Fuck_." Brody snatched up the walkie-talkie, switching the monitor to the dining area again. "Baron, get moving _now_. I think Chica is about to leave the kitchen, and I've lost track of Bonnie…" He trailed off as he spotted the lurking purple form of Bonnie standing in the far left corner of the dining area. Where Baron was. And, somehow, Freddy had moved to the main stage which overlooked the same food hall.

Both were still and quiet, but their heads were clearly focused on the Creation creeping along the room.

This time, Brody could only mouth the expletive words needed to express the situation.

On the screen, it was clear that Baron had now spotted the newcomers also. He slowly straightened himself up to his full height and continued his steady pace onwards. And then something caught his attention and he turned around to stare at something beyond the camera's site.

He froze. And then, carefully, oh-so-carefully, he brought the walkie-talkie to his lips.

" _Chief Inspector… I believe I know where Chica is…_ "

Haru, meanwhile, was keeping watch on the other two animatronics. While Baron watched Chica evidently leaving the kitchen, she saw Bonnie and Freddy start to move. She snatched the walkie-talkie from Brody.

"Baron! Get going!"

" _We… We have no knowledge that they mean me harm…_ " Baron tried weakly.

"NOW!"

Her scream came in time to jolt Baron into action. At the same moment he started running, there was a blur of red. The gangly form of Foxy ran – and how it ran! – between Baron and the exit. Baron stumbled back, and now Chica was moving into the camera's picture. He stumbled back and his hands fumbled for a set of doors behind him.

He fell back into the restroom as Foxy's hook swung inches away from his skin.

Baron slammed the door shut, and now he disappeared from the sight of all and any cameras. The animatronics began to converge on the door, completely forgetting the people in the office now.

" _I've come to the conclusion that they do mean harm_ ," Baron said. There was a weak chuckle down the line, accompanied by the sound of Baron sliding down against the door. A moment later there was the jarring cacophony as the animatronics began to knock at the door.

"Congrats for the update," Muta snorted.

"If you stay there, the animatronics should lose interest," Brody said. "That's their usual pattern when they attack the office. Can you make the door secure?"

" _I have my back against it and my legs locked against the wall,_ " Baron replied. " _It's as secure as I can make it under the current circumstances."_

"That'll have to do then." Brody released the speaking button on the device and leant back to stare morosely at the monitor.

"So… that's it?" Haru demanded. "We just wait it out?"

"I'm afraid so. The animatronics shouldn't be able to reach him, and if we went to help we would quickly find ourselves in a similar situation."

"I thought it was agreed they wouldn't go for him," Muta said.

"Evidently that was a mistake."

Haru felt her legs weaken, and suddenly she had dropped down to sit on the floor. "A mistake that could have cost Baron his life," she said.

"Geez, Chicky; no need for the melodramatics."

Brody swivelled the monitor round so that the Bureau could see it clearly, and then moved his chair round so he could get a better look at his impromptu guests. "What happened?"

"Geez, weren't you watching? You had the monitor in ya hands – shouldn't you be the one in the know?"

The inspector waved Muta's remarks away. "I didn't mean _that_. I meant, what has happened to him?" He glanced over to the screen, where the animatronics were still crowding the door. Even from the office, they could hear the sound of them pounding on the door. "He is not the same Creation I remember."

"There was an… incident," Toto said. He landed on Haru's shoulder, bringing him more to Brody's eye level. "He was taken away to another world, which then attempted to condition him against helping others."

"It was only three days for us," Haru continued, "but for him… it was three months. By the time we got to him… well, you can see the damage."

 _"Nothing was working with him,"_ the boy had said _. "I had to be extreme."_

Brody nodded as if such an explanation made perfect sense. Then again, where the Bureau was concerned, there weren't many explanations that didn't sound far-fetched. "Harm like that will take a lot of work to undo."

"Yeah, we've figured that out for ourselves, thanks," Muta snorted. "It's why he ended up doing stupid stuff like running off here alone. And he's enough work when he's thinking rationally too."

"He's afraid to drag us into this," Haru said. She was staring at the screen, reassured by the fact that the restroom door wasn't giving way, but also uneasy for every second the animatronics lingered there. "That's why he went alone. He's trying to help, but he's afraid that we'll be harmed in the process."

' _Just like the version of myself in Cap's world_ ,' her mind added.

"It's why the spell went even more awry than usual," Toto said. "You cannot perform magic without confidence in your ability; in Baron's current state, it gave way halfway through."

Haru's gaze dropped away, her fingers playing over the straps to her bag. "We can't just stick around here for the next three hours and hope for the best. I don't think those animatronics are going to be going anywhere, and we can't just leave Baron stuck in there–"

"What else do you suggest, Chicky? Nothing good's gonna come out of charging in there – and if you get hurt, Baron's gonna blame himself for it."

"I know, but even so…" Her eyes finally focused on the contents of her bag, including the lapis lazuli stone that she had careless thrown in earlier. She began to draw it out, and then hesitated. "How…? How did exorcists manage to stop the attacks last time if these are Creations?" she asked. "You said they can only expel ghosts and spirits."

"I'd guess that these were not always Creations," Toto suggested.

"They weren't," Brody agreed. "We believe that the animatronics were originally possessed by the souls of four murdered children, which were then exorcised after many years of attacking the night guard. When the Creation magic was released, the animatronics absorbed it and were… for want of a better word, reanimated. The souls are no longer present, but the animatronics are going through the same actions they did as when they were possessed."

"So… would this work?" Haru brought out the lapis lazuli. She turned to Toto, who probably had the best understanding of the stone after Baron.

"Yes, but such magic takes time."

Muta snickered. "Basically, you'd be chased before you had a chance."

"But – assuming I had enough time to get close enough – could I work this?" she persisted. "I know my magic is portal magic, but I can activate potential magic, right? I managed to activate Baron's human spell before."

"I expect so," Toto admitted. "Once you open up the lapis lazuli vein, it automatically identifies your magic and starts to draw in all foreign magic. The foreign magic can resist, however."

"Which is why it can take time," Haru realised.

The walkie-talkie buzzed with the static sound of Baron activating the talk mode on his device, shaking the group from their conversation. The static continued to fizzle even as Baron spoke. " _Haru…_ " he said. " _Can I talk to… Haru?_ "

Brody shrugged and passed across the walkie-talkie.

"Hello, Baron. How are you doing?"

" _As well as can be expected under the circumstances._ " There was a thud as one of the animatronics banged a fist against the door. Baron paused, and Haru just about heard the wince before he continued. " _Miss Haru… I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you. I've been selfish_."

"You? Selfish?" Haru echoed weakly. She shifted her position so she was sitting against the wall, her legs tucked up against her chest. "I find that hard to believe."

" _I have neglected to tell you the whole truth, all because I did not want to see you go. Miss Haru, do you remember my future self you met last year?_ "

"The one from the parallel world? How could I forget?"

" _He gave me a warning that, in his timeline, he had lost his Haru. He was only a year ahead of us, and now a year has passed, and with every day that ticks by you are placed in greater danger. I know the source of the danger, and there is nothing I can do to remove it; the only option I have left is to warn you away–_ "

"If you think that's going to work, you've got another thing coming," Haru retorted. "Baron, I have always known the risk I took upon myself when I joined the Bureau. The same goes for yourself, and Toto, and Muta. We all know that the work we do isn't always easy or safe, but that doesn't mean we have to give up." She verbally staggered to a halt as her sight blurred. She caught the oncoming tears with her free hand. Crying? She was _crying_? "It is not your decision what I do."

" _But, I have put you in danger–"_

"Do you think you're the only one?! Yes, Baron, sometimes your choices lead us into dangerous situations, but it is our decision to follow you there." She snorted, smearing away the tears as she went. "Baron, there have been many times when I've put you in danger too – if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have given Mary your rose. She nearly killed you that day. If it hadn't been for me bringing back that box, you wouldn't have been taken to Cap's world in the first place. If it hadn't been for me leaving a semi-activated portal in my room, Hiromi would never have been spirited away to Oz, would never have been decapitated, and would never have been left with the dormant magic that is now floating about in the newly-awoken Creations that have been causing such havoc. Don't you _dare_ play the blame game with me, Baron, because I will rip you to _shreds_."

There was a long, long pause. Haru might have thought that Baron had turned off the walkie-talkie's speaker, if it hadn't been for the continuous sound of the animatronics battering at the door. She swallowed back the fresh wave of guilt and brought the device back up to her lips.

"It's my fault you're in this mess," she whispered.

" _Haru… I didn't know you saw things that way…_ "

"I need you to trust in me, because sometimes I don't have the strength to. Don't you understand?" Fudge. Now she was crying again, and this time the sobs caught in her voice. "We need you. We all need you. I… I need you. We're not just a team… we're friends. And friends rely on each other. So, please, let us help. We're all here because we care for you."

" _I… understand_."

A watery smile rose to Haru's lips. "Do you?"

" _Yes. Do you have a plan?_ "

"Sort of. We think I can use the lapis lazuli to remove the new Creation magic, but I'd need to be able to get close enough to do that."

There was another pause, and Haru could almost hear the internal calculations going on at Baron's end as he tried to determine just how risky that was for her. She could sense the disapproval, which was then battling against Haru's plea for him to trust in her.

"Something doesn't make sense here," Muta said.

"Is that really a surprise, pudding-brain?"

"Shuddup, ya chicken. I mean, why do the animatronics only attack at night?"

"How long have you been sitting on that question, fatso?"

"Wait – he has a point," Haru interjected. She looked to Brody. " _Do_ they only attack at night?"

"Yes."

"Which means… they've only ever attacked the security night guards?"

"Yes… because they're the only ones here at night."

"Maybe. Maybe not." She was staggering back to her feet, swinging her bag over her shoulder and dropping the lapis lazuli back into its depths. "But that gives me an idea. Baron!" She hoisted the walkie-talkie back to her lips and shouted down the line. "Take off the guard's jacket!"

"Geez, Chicky; there's a time and a place."

"It's nothing like _that_!" Haru snapped, reddening at the mere implication. "Baron, did you hear me? I need you to take off the jacket!"

" _Yes, but why–?_ "

"I have a theory!" She started towards the door, shoving the walkie-talkie back in Brody's direction. "Muta, Toto, you can come if you want… Brody, I think you'd better stay here."

The Chief Inspector suddenly looked like he had cottoned on to her idea. "Okay. But what if your theory is wrong?"

She gave a rueful grin. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to improvise." She turned and ran down the corridor, Toto close at her shoulder.

Muta stared after them, and then began plodding behind. "Why all the running?" he muttered.

Haru was already skidding into the dining area where, as the monitor had shown, all four animatronics were crowded round the restroom door. "Hey!" She jumped up, waving her arms in the air. "Hey, you!"

"Are… Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Toto asked, landing uneasily on her shoulder.

"We're about to find out." She waved again, and now all four pairs of glazed eyes were turning in her direction. A little of her confident façade began to crumble and her waving arm slowed. "I really hope I'm right… Just… don't make any sudden moves, Toto."

Foxy was the first to move. With a speed that wasn't as fast as before – but could still outrun her – he swooped over to the human. Haru swayed backwards, but didn't step away. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes flickered to the hook that served as a hand; it now rested at his side but she wasn't so quick to forget how it nearly taken a swipe out of Baron.

The rabbit and chicken – Bonnie and Chica respectively – were the next to approach. They didn't possess the sharp teeth or hook that the fox did, but they still hulked over her. She felt Muta slink along next to her, keeping low to the ground to avoid notice.

"Please don't stuff me in a suit… Please don't stuff me in a suit…" she breathed. "Please don't…" She trailed off as the final animatronic join his companions. "You didn't attack me before," she whispered, almost pleadingly. "And it wasn't just because you didn't have enough time. You don't attack people, do you? Only night guards."

"Haru?" Upon hearing the onslaught against the door cease, Baron had taken the risk to investigate. He now stood in the open doorway, horrified at the rest of the Bureau surrounded by the animatronics. Like Haru had asked, he had removed the jacket. "Haru? What are you doing?"

"It's… It's okay, I think." Without removing her eyes from the animatronics, she reached out a hand towards him. "They're not attacking anymore."

Baron slowly approached them, dropping his hand into hers. He had left the walkie-talkie, phone, and torch in the restroom, along with the discarded jacket. His bare hand – for once devoid of his usual white gloves – curled around hers. The bear – Freddy – glanced to him, and then away.

"What… did you do?"

"Nothing. I just figured that they've only ever attacked night guards."

"So you decided to test that out?" he whispered, reaching new levels of horror at Haru's foolishness. "Do you have any idea how reckless that was?"

She glanced over to him. "Hark who's talking." She tightened her grip on his hand, grinning weakly. "Anyway, it wasn't entirely theory. Freddy didn't attack me before. And I think Foxy was only trying to get into the office; we were just in the way."

"But, even so…"

"Guys… What at they waiting for?" Muta abruptly asked. "What are they standing around like that for? I mean, it's great and all that they're not attacking, but… could we do something to stop them staring like that? It's creeping me out."

Haru slowly brought her bag to one side, and retrieved the lapis lazuli. She looked over to Baron. "Together?"

He nodded. "Together."

He stepped over to her, and they each took a half of the stone. In opening it, Haru felt the magic tug at her own. For a moment, the stone searched for magic unlike hers or Baron's, and then focused on Toto at her shoulder. She started to panic, but then Baron's more active magic took over and began to guide it towards the animatronics before them. She caught his eye and grinned in thanks for the help.

And he grinned back.

Blue tendrils of Creation magic began to gather at the joints and mouths of the animatronics, but there it lingered.

"Something's… Something's holding it back…" This wasn't what happened with Guertena's painting. The magic wouldn't release. "Baron, what do we do?" She glanced over to him, and saw panic creeping into his eyes. "Baron!"

He broke from his wide-eyed stare, but a little of the fear remained. "They don't understand what's going on," he breathed. "They're resisting."

"Yeah, of course they're confused," Muta muttered. "They were possessed by kids, right? They must be scared stiff."

"The souls moved on years ago, you moron. Weren't you listening?"

"Yes… but the Creation magic animated them as if they were possessed again," Haru said. The hand holding the lapis lazuli dropped to one side and she stepped towards the animatronics. They watched her in what she felt was a wary manner; uneasy but unmoving. "Perhaps Muta's right. Perhaps they are just kids."

"Yeah, but they're also kids who stuffed people into empty suits," the fat cat reminded her.

"There has to be a reason for that," Haru insisted. "Maybe… Maybe a night guard was the one who murdered them. Maybe they became lost in revenge. But it's okay now…" She felt their gazes focus solely on her and now her words were only for the lost children. "You don't have to do this anymore. The person who killed you isn't here. He can't hurt you anymore."

Through the stone, she felt the magic loosen from the animatronics.

"You've done enough, don't you think? It's time to rest now. It's time to sleep. It's time to let go…"

The blue mist rose up from the animatronics and drifted towards Haru and Baron. The creatures wound down, the light from their eyes dimming as the Creation-created souls left their being. The magic split between Haru and Baron, being drawn into the lapis lazuli, but the magic lingered just a little longer about Haru. For a rare moment, she was engulfed in the magic of the animatronics and, through the shadows, she saw the echoes of the children's lives. They were only glimpses – laughter at the beach, friends at school, parties at the restaurant… but they all converged on a dark night.

The last of the magic disappeared into the stone and the images disappeared. Suddenly the scene was quiet and still; just the Bureau and the now-lifeless forms of the animatronics. Haru stumbled over to a wall and sank to the ground, hands over her mouth as she choked back the tears.

"Haru?"

"Did you see it?" she asked. "Did you see their lives flash before your eyes?"

Baron gently knelt down beside her. "No. No, they showed only you that."

"Those poor children. The guard killed them and then stuffed their bodies into the animatronics," she gagged, the images rolling through her mind again and again. "Who does that? Who- Who does that sort of thing?"

"A sicko, that's who." Muta trundled over to her and sat down beside her. "No wonder they attacked all the night guards."

"We did a good thing, Haru," Baron assured her. "Those children needed rest."

"It was driving them crazy," she whispered. "They were in so much pain…"

"Then why show you something that nasty, Chicky?"

"I think… I think they wanted me to understand. I think they wanted someone to know."

"Is everything okay? Is it finished?" Brody came running into the dining area, eyes immediately focusing on the still forms of the animatronics. "Did it work?"

"Hey, look – more stupid questions being asked," Muta snorted. "What does it look like, dumbo?"

"Yes, the plan worked," Baron said. He gently helped Haru back to her feet. "The animatronics should be back to normal now." He glanced down to Haru. "Thanks to Miss Haru."

She grinned and pointedly prodded him in the side. "It's just Haru to you, Baron."

Suddenly, both remembered that Baron had discarded the guard's jacket and, thus, was back to his shirtless state. Haru abruptly withdrew her hand. Baron, caught up in the same acute embarrassment, abruptly released her without warning and almost jumped away.

There was a kerfuffle as Haru lost her balance and slipped straight down onto the floor.

"Baron!"

"Haru!"

Brody watched the scene with eyebrows that were slowly crawling up his face. "Is… everything okay?" he repeated.

"It's fine." Haru was getting back to her feet and dusting herself off. Her cheeks were still bright red, but she managed to spare a glare to the feline Creation. "You didn't have to drop me quite so fast."

"Sorry, Haru." He offered a hand, which Haru took to steady herself.

"No bones broken." A grin caught at the lips of her mouth and then spread, like wildfire, across. She moved forward as if to hug him, and then remembered his shirtless state. "It's good to see you again, Baron. Just… put a shirt on or something. Please."

ooOoo

"I see you found a shirt."

Haru threw Muta a withering look as she helped Baron write up the case report. "Muta, that joke is already getting old. Can you give it a rest?"

"I don't think you understand how funny it was."

"It… It really wasn't that funny, Muta," Baron weakly protested.

"You dropped her! You ruddy pushed her onto the floor when you remembered you didn't have a shirt! How is that NOT funny?"

"And it's another cake-free week for you," Haru muttered. She leant away from the desk – even as Muta began some rather vocal complaints – and raised an eyebrow to Baron. "He is right though. You _did_ drop me."

"I merely… released hold of you without prior warning."

"That floor was uncomfortable."

"I miscalculated. I believed you would be stable enough to hold your own weight once I released you." He started to shuffle through one of the desk drawers, putting away the lapis lazuli as he found it.

"What…? What are we going to do with it?" Haru asked. She nodded to the stone. "I mean, it's full of magic, and it's going to keep on getting fuller of magic, so are we just going to leave it here or what…?"

"We have little other choice. We saw what happened last time the magic was released. It's too dangerous to be allowed to go free."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't use it," Muta chuckled from behind the latest newspaper. "What?" he demanded upon receiving curious looks from both Haru and Baron. "Sometimes I do listen to what you and the birdbrain talk about. You said something about it being used to boost your own power."

"In small doses, Muta," Baron amended. Now it was his turn to receive a curious look from Haru. "I was merely hypothesising the use of the extra magic to finalise the temporary human spell," he explained. "The root of the issue with the spell as it is now is that I do not possess enough magic to turn fully human. However, with the magic the stone currently contains, I believe I could achieve humanity for an hour at a time."

"Really?"

"You sound happy at the thought, Chicky."

"I… well, you know, it'll be… helpful. Being human."

"Uh-huh." Muta gave a knowing grin and tucked his head back behind the newspaper. "Sure. That's what you like about the idea."

Haru fought back the blush and, instead, made a face in Muta's general direction.

"I saw that, Chicky?"

"How? You're reading the paper!"

"Cat senses."

"Liar."

An alarm went off on Haru's phone, warning her of a shift at the pet store in half an hour. She gathered up her belongings, stuffing them into her bag as she went. "Ah, no. I've gotta go otherwise I'm going to be late. Again." She swung her bag over her shoulder as she started towards the door, but paused before she even reached the handle.

She ran back across the room and threw her arms around Baron. She pulled him into a hug, savouring the ever-familiar scent of tea and mint.

"Don't leave us like that again," she whispered. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

Slowly, he returned the embrace. "I won't. I promise."

 **ooOoo**

 **Inspired by:** _ **Five Nights At Freddy's**_ **. Created by Scott Cawthorn.**

 **(Also, at the time, I didn't realise I would be borrowing two 'horror' games for this series. That's just how the dice roll when it comes to plot bunnies sometimes. You don't question the bunnies. Count yourself lucky I didn't discover Undertale until it was too late.)**

 **So, I know some people don't like FNAF, other people don't find it scary, and others are now deadly afraid of dimly-lit open doorways. (And a few lucky individuals may have no idea what I'm talking about at all.) Whatever is your opinion on the game, my aim was to take the concept (and... uh, borrow the characters) to create a case for the Bureau to solve. This case isn't meant to be a theory for the game; this is just me playing around with an idea to amuse myself (and hopefully you guys).**

 **ooOoo**

 **Next story:** _ **Linked**_

 **Teaser:** _ **"Baron, I think it's time you told me exactly what happened to Louise." / "I think I might know where the Duke is." / "A collection for magical and fantastical creatures," Haru said. She glanced to Baron. "So where does that leave you, Baron? What if the owner wants to collect you too?" / The last person she would ever imagine getting caught up in magic or fantastical creatures now stood in the doorway of Keightley's office.**_


	11. Linked (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 11: Linked (Part 1)**

"Haru? Haru!"

Haru jolted out of her thoughts, nearly slipping her elbow off the table in the process. "W-What?"

Michael chuckled and leant into her line of vision. "Don't tell me another case kept you up all last night."

"No… No, I was just day-dreaming." For once, it was true. They hadn't had a case since the animatronic incident. She blinked and took fresh notice of the inventory form she was meant to be helping to fill out. "Where…? Where were we up to on here?"

"Dog food."

"Okay. Dog food… Dog food…"

"So, how are things at the Bureau?" Michael asked, returning to the food aisle to count out the bags they had remaining. "Everything okay?"

Haru shrugged and finally located the dog section on the paperwork. "It's fine."

"Fine?" He paused in his counting to lean back around the aisle and raise an eyebrow at Haru. "Usually you have a little bit more to say than that."

"It's fine," she repeated.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Just… things."

Michael looked to her, looked back to the dog food he was meant to be taking stock of, and then gave up entirely. He returned to the desk with a sigh. "Haru… has anyone ever told you how terrible a liar you are?"

"Only when I'm not really trying," she replied weakly. She dropped her gaze to the forms, idly trailing the blunt end of the pen along the paper. "It's Baron." There was a silence, and she glanced up to see an unreadable expression crossing Michael's face. "He's… not been himself recently."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when I suddenly asked for a few days off?"

"Yes. You were saying something about Baron going missing."

Haru nodded. "Well, it's kind of a long story. Strange box, magical flowers, a sentient prison…" She tried to shrug it off, attempting a half-hearted smile. "You know, the usual kind of thing. It's just… the prison tried to 'correct' Baron, and kind of ended up… breaking him instead…" She dropped her gaze again, this time before Michael could catch full sight of the pain in her eyes. "He's getting better," she was quick to add. "But… slowly. And I can't help worrying, you know?"

"Yeah, Haru. I understand." Michael pulled forward a chair and sat down at the other side of the desk. "Sometimes it can be difficult to see those you care for suffer."

Haru paused in the nervous movement of the pen. Her eyes flickered up to the young man opposite her, and then flickered back down just as abruptly in acute shame. "It's not fair on you," she said

"What do you–?"

"You've always been so understanding, standing on the side-lines while I disappear off into goodness-knows-where. It must be so difficult to run this store with an employee who keeps vanishing without notice. I mean, I try to warn you when that sort of thing happens, but sometimes…"

"Sometimes things get out of hand. I understand," Michael repeated.

"It does bother you, doesn't it?"

"That you regularly run head-first into death-defying situations? Sure. It bothers me. How can I care for you and _not_ be bothered that you're in danger?" he asked. He motioned loosely towards her. "Sometimes you come back with fresh scars, or bruises, or even burns – and that bothers me. But there's not much I can do about it, short of ordering you to stop working with the Bureau." He quickly raised his hands defensively before Haru could comment. "Not that I would. I'm just saying – there's not much I can do about this."

"You could… always come along," Haru offered.

Michael scoffed. "Right. Me, tagging along on your crazy cases. I think we all remember how that went last time."

Haru paused, and then gave a weak shrug. "Actually, I can't remember much of that case. Everything's a bit fuzzy from the memory disease."

"Look, I'm not cut out for the Bureau's world. That's what I learnt last time–"

"Nobody starts out knowing how to deal with the Bureau's cases," Haru insisted. "It's been over two years since I joined, and it hasn't always been plain-sailing–"

Michael chuckled lightly. "Haru, the difference is… you _need_ to get out there and see other worlds. I don't know; it's like the inter-dimension equivalent of a travelling bug. But me…" and here he motioned gently to the store around them, "well, I guess I'm more of a home kid. I'm happy here, without all this life-on-the-line business. We're just different that way."

"I guess we are."

"Anyway, the Bureau is your space." Michael shrugged with a smile. "Just… please come back safely. That's all I ask."

What had she asked Baron? _Don't leave us like that again._ The same sentiment, different situation.

"I will. I promise."

ooOoo

When Haru swung into the Bureau after her shift, she was greeted with the unexpected image of Baron investigating a box.

Or rather, _the_ box. The box in which the lilies had been transported in. Baron had attempted to investigate it shortly after the CAP incident, but had soon discarded it. It seemed that, now, he felt up to tackling the task at hand.

"Hey, Baron. What…? What are you doing, exactly?"

Baron momentarily paused in scattering the bottle of purple dust over the box, choosing instead to glance over to the young woman. "This, Miss Haru, should amplify the magical residues left by whoever handled the box. If I can get a clearer understanding of the nature of the magic from them…"

Haru perched herself on the armrest of an armchair, watching Baron at work at the desk. "Yes, but I carried it in, so surely it's going to be contaminated with residues of my magic too, right?"

"Unfortunately, that is the case. Not only that, but the transportation magic of the cuffs – the lilies – has soaked into the box and makes it hard to distinguish little else. And, with all that included, some of my magic has also become entangled in the mix."

"Who would hate you that bad that they would want to send you to CAP?" Haru asked.

"I have made quite a few enemies in my long lifetime, Haru."

"Yeah, the CAP plan just felt… I don't know… _personal_. Calculated and cold, but if they had wanted to kill you, then CAP was hardly going to be the most efficient way of doing that, right? I mean, I think CAP would actually have tried to avoid a death of a prisoner. Whoever sent you those lilies can't have wanted to kill you, so much as to… well, _break you_."

Haru's words again caused Baron to pause in his investigation, but this time he kept his gaze on the box. "I have a theory as to who the culprit may be," he said, quietly, "but I didn't speak of it because I had hoped my theory was wrong."

"So you do know who did it. How?"

Baron motioned to the box. "The cuffs."

"The lilies?"

"The lilies were only a front; the cuffs can be made to vary their form so as to catch the wanted prisoner unawares. The selection of lilies for their appearance leads me to a single conclusion."

"Which is…?"

"Louise, kid." Muta squeezed his way through the open Bureau door and immediately headed to the cupboards. "Used to be her favourite flower. You know, in the short time she and Baron actually knew each other."

"Muta, I was explaining."

"Yeah, yeah, and taking forever about it."

"Louise?" Haru echoed. Her mind jumped back to the beautiful white cat she had seen in CAP's world. Louise. His lost fiancée. No, the fiancée who had become lost to the darkness within herself. "She's the one behind this?"

"Nah. You kidding? Where she is, she can't do any damage."

Haru rubbed her temples at Muta's unintentionally mystic response. "What? But I thought she had been lost." She groaned and looked to Baron, her expression steely. "Baron, I think it's time you told me exactly what happened to Louise."

Haru didn't miss the significant look between Baron and Muta.

Muta gave a half-hearted shrug. "Hey, she's your fiancée. You do the talking."

"Does everyone know about Louise except for me?"

"Eh, pretty much, Chicky."

"Please, Muta; you're not helping matters." A faint reddening began to creep under Baron's fur as the situation tipped further from his favour. "Haru, the circumstances are not one I like to dwell on; regardless, that is not sufficient excuse for keeping the truth from you. I should have shared this with you from the moment my future self warned me of the danger you were in."

"You… make it sound as if Louise is the one I'm in danger from," Haru said slowly.

Baron didn't answer, which was all the confirmation she needed. Instead he merely lowered the box and bottle to one side and glanced over at the painting hanging above a low-slung cupboard. It was one that Haru had noted before, for it held the image of a familiar white feline. Louise.

"Baron…"

The Creation had gone still. So still that, had Haru not known him so well, she might have wondered whether he had reverted to his wooden form. She walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder.

"Baron?"

"This is her, Haru. This is Louise."

She looked at the painting. Within its depths was a white cat, painted in a faded forest-green dress and an old-fashioned rose-coloured cape, matched with a hat adorned with white lilies. A parasol rested on her shoulder.

"I know that," Haru said, a little miffed he was taking some metaphorical route to explain Louise's fate. "I saw her in CAP's world, remember?"

"Nah, Chicky," Muta snorted. "He means that's really her. The cat herself."

Haru opened her mouth and then, when the full force of the realisation hit, closed it. She swallowed nervously and tried again. "What?"

"This is where she is, Haru. This is where Louise remains."

"I… I don't understand." ' _Yes, you do, Haru_ ,' her mind scolded. ' _You still remember what happened when the other Barons came. You remember what you learnt about Baron's fiancée that day_.' "Why…? Why is she here?"

"There was nowhere else secure or safe enough to trap her." Baron stepped forward, and Haru could see him drawing his hands back to himself, as if they itched to reach out to the painting. "No," he quietly amended. "There was nowhere else I could bring myself to put her. The Sanctuary is a safe haven for Creations, memories, people… I had always hoped that it could also save what little strands of goodness prevailed."

"I'm sorry, Baron."

"It didn't work out that way, however. The war had changed her, and so the Creation I found was not the one I had been made alongside. She had been left bitter and cruel, but she had not been able to separate herself from it like I had. She became like the Duke."

The Duke. The version of Baron that he had discarded years ago. A version that was more an echo of Baron, but one born in the rage and sorrow of war. One who had absorbed the terror and hatred from those years of the Second World War, and now, separated from Baron, would never be fully complete.

And Baron's fiancée had become the same.

"You said that you found her again, eventually," Haru cautiously prompted.

Baron nodded, no longer really seeing the house or Haru, but the memories of a bygone era. "Yes. I spent many years searching for her after we were originally separated, and when we did reunite, I discovered the truth. She turned her back on me to be with the Duke; a being who was perhaps more her true companion than I was by that point."

"That can't be the end of the story, though. I mean, she's here now–"

The Creation was silent for a long while, and Haru couldn't bring herself to ask again. She started to turn away from the picture.

"It's okay, Baron. You've said enough. I don't need to know–"

She halted as a gloved hand caught her wrist. Baron's eyes were cast down, his top hat overshadowing his face as he held on to Haru.

"No. You should know."

"It… It's okay, really."

"I've kept this secret for too long, Haru. You've been so patient all this time, waiting for the truth to come eventually. It hasn't been fair on you."

Those same words came echoing back to her. 'It's not fair on you,' she had told Michael only hours before. Haru turned her head away, but she felt the burn of her blush spread across her cheeks. "Life isn't fair, Baron. Sometimes we just have to accept that."

"And sometimes we can change it. Haru, I'm not proud of what I did in my past–"

"The Duke isn't you," she said. "It's who you are now that matters."

"I'm not referring to that, Haru. You see, it is one thing to realise the truth; it's quite another thing to accept it. And I did not accept Louise's fate. I fought to find a way to bring her back to the Creation she was meant to be – the Creation your father had imagined. But it turns out that the damage could not be undone. Perhaps, when I realised that, I should have turned and left her be. But, between her and the Duke, they had the potential for such _harm_ …"

His hand dropped away, but he didn't move from the shadow of his hat. "What the war did to her… It left her hating the world, hating humanity. I could not… I cannot…"

"It's okay, Baron," Haru repeated. "I understand."

"The painting will contain Louise for as long as it remains," he continued, hollowly. "But, given the potential and the magic of the Sanctuary, she will be able to shape the painting's world to her will."

"Like the Duke did with the other house," Haru recalled. And like how there had been a whole, warped world inside the _Fabricated World_ painting.

"Indeed. So, while Louise can create anything of her imagination, she can never escape. And we can never enter, for we would be at her mercy. We are at a permanent impasse."

"So why would I be in danger from her?"

"There is only one individual I can think of who knows of her and would attempt to free her. The Duke."

Haru paused, her mind whirring through the realisations. She gave a small, weary smile. "I think I might know where he is."

ooOoo

"No. Absolutely not."

The Bureau stood around the table where Haru had carefully deposited Absolem's ring. She frowned a little at Baron's absolute response.

"You could have given it a little bit more thought."

"Haru, do you recall the state you were in following the last time you used that ring?" Baron curtly reminded her.

"It's not the ring that's the problem," she retorted. There was a pause, and she quietly added, "It's just the getting back out of the Wood Between Worlds that is."

"Exactly. Haru, that ring is a one-way system; it draws an individual and all touching them to the Wood Between Worlds. There were once rings that transported the wearer out of the Wood Between Worlds, but they have been long lost. Now the only way out of the Wood Between Worlds is your portal magic, and it drains you to carry more than just yourself between worlds."

"I think I only felt sick last time because I lingered between dimensions," Haru said, a little sulkily. "If I can just take us all straight to him–"

"No. I forbid it. You'll have to take all three of us and who knows how far your power can be pushed?"

Haru raised an eyebrow. "Right. You 'forbid' it. Baron, please; we'll never know how far my magic can be pushed if we never try. And how else are we going to find the Duke?"

"She's got a point," Muta said. "It's not like we have any clue where he is."

"Look, when I tried to get to you for the animatronic case, I was drawn in two directions," Haru insisted. "One to the restaurant, and the other… to some sort of museum, I think. I was following your magic – so who else could it be?"

"It could be your father," Toto gently reminded her. "He did create Baron, after all."

"My father isn't in this world anymore."

"We don't know where he is."

"It's not him. I… I would know."

"Would ya, Chicky? Or are you just wishing that?"

"Either way, this is a possible lead," Haru said. "It has to be worth checking out."

Her eyes were trained on Baron, willing him to see things her way. But he wasn't looking at her; instead, he was staring down at the little ring that was causing so much trouble. "Haru…"

"I know the risks, Baron. And I want to do this."

"What if this is the same road my future self took?" he asked. "What if this is how we lose you?"

"I don't know. But you can't just wrap me up in cotton wool, Baron. I've know the dangers since I started. Please. Just trust me."

He finally looked up. Green eyes met brown.

"Okay."

ooOoo

Haru stood before the pool to the Human World, a Creation on each shoulder and Muta in her arms. The forgetfulness of the Wood Between Worlds was lessening with every return, which had been a small mercy for Toto and Muta. It had taken a little longer to coax Baron's memories to return, however they were eventually gathered, ready to step into the portal.

Baron felt Haru's hesitation. "We don't have to do this, Haru. It's okay to be afraid."

"Afraid? Who's afraid? I'm just hoping that I don't lose one of you on transport. Muta, stop that."

Muta, who had started to squirm at Haru's words, stilled, but that didn't remove the scowl. "Lose one of us?" he repeated. "Is that possible?"

"How should I know, Muta? I've only done this once with passengers before. Just don't wriggle and I'm sure you'll be fine. Probably."

"Right. I feel so much better now knowing that."

"Shush, Muta," Baron warned. "Haru, whenever you're ready."

She nodded and stepped forward.

The pool rose to meet Haru's portal magic almost instantly. It sucked in its guests and attempted to drop them down into the Human World, but here Haru pushed against the pull. She tapped into that strain of magic – a mixture of hers and Baron's borrowed spark – and felt through the world for the echo.

Around her, the depths of the portal swam about her; shifting, changing, swirling with images. Wisps of conversation and human noise wove about them – words, cars, alarms – all so loud and shrill. And then, she found it. That resounding echo of magic. She pulled them to it – or it to them – and suddenly the world solidified about them.

Haru dropped down onto a tiled floor, and the sound bounced off about the room.

Like she had seen before, the place was a museum of sorts. Silent and still, and empty save for the exhibits that stood to attention within their glass cages. Fangs from creatures too large to be real, the white scaly hide of a slender dragon, tiny forest spirits frozen in the jar they were pickled in.

Haru raised her hands to her mouth, fighting the urge to gag – and not just from the travel fatigue either. Her feet threatened to give way, but she caught herself against an exhibit before she could fall. "I… I thought this was a museum," she whispered. "But it's not. It's a…"

"Collection," Baron finished. "Haru, are you alright? It took a lot of power to bring us through that pool, didn't it?"

"I'm fine. I just need to… sit down for a bit." She slid slowly down to the floor. "Wait… Where's Muta? Toto?"

Toto dragged himself from behind an exhibit, wheeling a little as he joined them. "Hey, Chicky, I don't feel so good… Are ya sure ya didn't make a mistake?"

Muta appeared from the other side, adopting a strange sort of hopping motion as he went. "The only mistake that was made was when you fell on me, fatso. I think you've broken a wing…"

The two animals stopped as they came into sight of one another.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO US?!"

"Calm- Calm down, Toto – er, Muta… This must just be a temporary glitch… right, Baron?"

Baron leapt down from Haru's shoulder, landing lightly on the floor between the two switched individuals. "I must confess, Haru, that I have never seen this happen before."

"I am NOT gonna be stuck as a birdbrain for the rest of my life."

"Hey, do you think you got the hard end of the bargain, lardball? How do you think I feel, stuck in the body of a cat so fat he can't even see his toes?"

"There has to be a way to reverse this," Haru said. "Baron, you'll have some way to undo this, won't you?"

"It may be that travelling back through the portal will be enough to reverse the effects – but, if not, I'm sure I can find a way to return things to normal. Back at the Bureau," he added before either Toto or Muta could intervene.

"This ain't gonna happen every time Chicky wants to take a trip, is it?"

"No, I doubt it," Baron assured him. "I expect that carrying three passengers merely strained Haru's magic, and it tried to compensate."

"Yeah, by switching us around. Why are you two okay?" Muta accused, waving a dishevelled wing towards them.

"I'm sorry, Muta–"

"Do you have any idea how many times I've been shapeshifted about? First it was into a cat, and I spent twenty years getting used to that, thank you very much, and then that potion happened and suddenly I was a human losing his mind, and now THIS."

"You're… You're not exactly the only one who's gone through some changes," Haru weakly reminded him. "Anyway, the more important thing right now is working out where we are."

"That seems to be pretty clear," Toto said. "We're in a collection of sorts." He waddled over to Haru, almost falling over his paws in the process. "Hey, fatso, how do you walk on these tiny paws?!"

"Yeah, well, what's wrong with your stick legs?"

Haru glanced to Baron. "A collection for magical and fantastical creatures," she said. "Do you think that the Duke might have been… collected?" She hesitated. "Do you think…? I mean… where does that leave you, Baron? You're clearly not just a talking animal… What if the owner wants to collect you too?"

Baron nodded, with an expression that said these thoughts had already crossed his mind. "Then we'll have to keep a low profile so as to avoid unwanted attention."

They both paused, and then burst into laughter.

"Okay, but seriously, what are we going to do?" Haru asked.

"Ya can turn us back to normal, that's what you can do!"

"Muta, I believe we have more pressing issues at hand," Baron said. "Haru, did you bring the lapis lazuli and my temporary human spell?"

"Yes…" She slowly retrieved the items, raising a curious eyebrow as she went. "You're going to attempt to turn yourself fully human, aren't you?"

"With the extra power retained in the stone, I believe it is possible. Thank you." He took the items, although both had grown with Haru upon exiting the Sanctuary, and so there was some fumbling before Haru gave up and deposited them onto the ground instead.

"You're… uh, not going to lose your clothes again, are you?" Haru asked after she dubiously remembered the last incident.

If Baron's blush was any indication, the events were still fresh in his mind also. "I doubt it. The magic contained in the lapis lazuli should be enough to ensure full transformation."

"And what about the time before that? I… I'm not going to be turned into a cat or something, am I?"

"I can assure you, Haru, that I have everything under control."

"You say that a lot, but I never quite believe it." With an air of cautiousness, Haru rose to her feet and stepped away from Creation, stone, and spell. "Whenever you're ready."

Baron nodded and lowered his hands onto both items. Haru felt the magic pulse through from the lapis lazuli, through Baron, and then finally into the paper with the spell. The symbol glowed, and then that same glow engulfed the Creation. He changed within it, shifting and growing until before them knelt a very human Baron.

The young man slowly pocketed the stone and spell – taking exaggerated care as he acclimatised to his new body – and then, equally deliberately, stood up. He swayed a little, and once again Haru found herself staring at Baron's chest, albeit clothed this time.

"I see you managed to keep your shirt on," she squeaked. She stepped back and tilted her head to meet Baron's gaze.

His human form was not unfamiliar; in fact, Haru had seen it once before. When a well-meaning kitsune had changed his form in the belief it would aid his task. It hadn't, since the transformation hadn't been complete; his eyes had been feline and his veins had bled sap… but this form looked entirely human.

Without thinking, she began to reach out, as if to check that he was real, and then suddenly remembered herself. She blushed and hurriedly withdrew her hand. "How…? How are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy, but I think that's to be expected. How do I look?"

"Human." She gave a blushing grin and quickly added before she could lose her nerve, "And not a bad-looking one, either."

He was passing a hand over his jawline, feeling the strange human shape of his face, and at Haru's words he returned her grin. "Really?"

"Okay, okay, enough flirting already!" Muta stumbled over to the two humans, struggling to gain his balance in Toto's body. "Can we just do whatever we came here to do and get outta here?"

Before anyone could answer, chaos broke loose as alarms began to blare.

"Ah. I see our low profile has been upgraded," Baron calmly commented. "And now we shall find out who is in charge of this… eccentric collection."

Haru eyed the cameras she hadn't spotted before now, a sinking feeling travelling through her. "Do you think they spotted your transformation?"

"I hope not. But we shall see."

"What do we do now?" Toto waddled over to them, and Haru took pity on him. She lifted up the hefty form of Muta, of which Toto was still struggling to become accustomed to.

"Hey! Why don't I ever get carried anywhere?"

"You've lived with this body for the last twenty years," Haru reminded Muta. "Toto's had two minutes." She looked to Baron. "Well, Toto's got a point. What do we do now?"

"We wait. There's no real point in going anywhere; this way we should be led straight to the heart of the matter."

There was a cacophony of footsteps and the Bureau shuffled a little closer together. "They… They don't sound too friendly," Haru said. When a set of armed guards came running onto the scene, she added, "They don't look too friendly either."

"Identify yourselves!"

A woman stepped forward, her gun lowered but her expression giving away that she was ready to use it in an instant if necessary.

"Didn't you hear me?" she snapped. "Identify yourselves!"

"We're… uh, lost?" Haru tried with a smile.

"Don't get clever with me. How does anyone end up 57 floors underground by _accident_?"

Haru smiled innocently. "We're pretty good at getting lost… or, rather, bad."

Muta snorted. "Yeah. You'd be surprised."

"Sure. You just _happened_ to wander into one of the most secure buildings in Japan," the guard retorted. Her eyes passed over the talking crow, an eyebrow raised but no further comment made.

"Ah, so we are in Japan," Baron said. "That does narrow things down a bit. If you wouldn't mind entertaining the notion that we are indeed lost travellers, perhaps you could enlighten us a little further on the exact nature of our location."

Unsurprisingly, the woman gave him a blank stare. "You're in the Keightley Collection," she replied.

Beside her, Haru heard Baron murmur, "Ah. Of course."

Another guard leant over to the leader. "I think they might be telling the truth."

"Quiet, Saito. Even if they are, they're still trespassing." She cast her gaze over the strange crew, and shook her head. "If you are indeed lost, how did you end up here?"

"That is an answer we will gladly give, once we are acquainted with whoever's in charge here," Baron said. He motioned to the corridor the guards had come from. "Please, lead the way."

The leader retrieved a radio from her belt and slowly lifted it up, her eyes warily fixed on the newcomers. "Miss Keightley, we have the intruders. Should we bring them up?"

" _Please do, Rikku_." A woman's voice crackled from the other end. " _I'm rather curious about our little trespassers._ "

"Okay." Rikku, as the guards' commander seemed to be called, latched the radio back onto her belt, still warily watching the Bureau. "Come along, then. You don't want to keep Keightley waiting."

"Who's Keightley?" Haru whispered to Baron as they were prompted towards a set of double doors and up a flight of stairs. "Do you know them?"

"Not personally," he said. "There was a man named Thomas Keightley who took great interest in mythology and folklore, but he was before my time. I did not realise he had a collection, or even an heir…"

"You can't know everything, Baron."

"No, but I should have thought things through before taking such a risky leap into the unknown."

' _Especially with the Duke on the loose_.'

Haru stopped.

"Keep moving, please!"

"Haru, is something the matter?" Baron's hand curled around her wrist and prompted her onwards, even as she gained glares from the guards for her impromptu halt.

"No… Nothing." She looked to the ex-Creation strangely, subconsciously leaning her head away from him as she continued walking. "Did…? Did you just say something about the Duke?"

"I don't believe so."

"Are ya hearing voices again, Chicky? Should we check ya into a loony bin–"

"Oh, stop it, Muta." Haru shook her head, trying to empty the words from her head. "It was nothing. I guess this place is just getting to me." She leant around Baron to get a clear look at Rikku. "How many more stairs do we have to go?"

"Heh, perhaps if you dropped the birdbrain, Chicky, it'd be easier."

"Perhaps if you had lost some weight," Haru threw back to Muta clambering up the steps behind her, stuck in Toto's body as he was, "then I wouldn't have a problem."

"Just through the next doors," Rikku replied, deciding to ignore the unruly banter following her. "And, please, show some respect when you enter. You'll be greeting Catherine Keightley."

"Who?" Muta asked.

Rikku again ignored him, and opened the doors. "The intruders are here, Miss Keightley."

The Bureau was ushered into a modern, well-lit office, mundane save for the lack of windows. Haru supposed they were still a good many floors underground.

"46, to be precise," Baron said.

"What?" she whispered.

"You were wondering how many floors we are below ground," he replied. "46."

"I was wondering, but I didn't ask," she said, eyebrows raised. Her attention was caught when the woman at the desk of the office gave a sharp, deliberate cough.

"I believe you wished to see me."

The woman was well-dressed, with a pale, freckled complexion and blonde hair. Her accent, now no longer hidden behind the radio's interference, had a slight Irish lilt to it. She raised an immaculately-kept eyebrow at the group. "Well?" she prompted when no immediate reply came.

Baron stepped forward, sweeping his hat in his best bow.

' _Show off,_ ' Haru thought to herself.

"Miss Keightley, what a pleasure it is to meet you," he greeted. "A truly unexpected pleasure."

"Yes, yes." She waved the welcome away. "Rikku, bring Tomoko and Hakamada in here – I have a feeling I'm going to need their expertise. Well…" and now she propped her elbows on the desk and leant towards the newcomers, "it isn't just anyone who can break their way into my collection. What were you doing there?"

"It's as we told Ms Rikku," Baron said. "It was merely an accident–"

"An accident is, say, walking into a lamppost," Keightley said in a bored tone. "It is not breaking into a high-security underground vault, 56–"

"57," Haru unhelpfully amended.

" _57_ floors down."

The doors opened up behind them, and Keightley nodded to the newcomer. "Ah, Tomoko. Just in time, I see. Ladies, gentlemen… and assorted pets," she added with a thin smile, "I'll need you to give some details to Tomoko here. He's very good at his research."

There was a familiar, uneasy chuckle from behind them. "That… shouldn't be too difficult."

Haru spun round.

The last person she would ever imagine getting caught up in magic or fantastical creatures now stood in the doorway of Keightley's office.

"Tsuge?"

Hiromi's boyfriend gave a sheepish grin, nervously messing up his hair with a hand as he surveyed the group. "Hello, Haru."

"But you're a… You're just a journalist! Hiromi read your article on the ko– on the shrine attacks!"

He shrugged. "It doesn't exactly pay a lot." His eyes moved over her companions; visible surprise passing over his features at her strange companions. "And it doesn't look like I'm the only one who's been hoarding secrets, either."

"Tomoko, where's Hakamada?" Keightley asked.

"He said he was going to check out the security footage of their arrival."

"Fine. Fine. Someone tell him to get here as soon as he's done. So, Tomoko, who are they? Friends of yours? You know I disapprove of mixing work and home."

"I only know one – she's a friend of my girlfriend," Tsuge said. "I… wasn't aware that she was mixed up in anything more… you know."

Keightley didn't look impressed. "I pay you to know this sort of thing, Tomoko. So, please, do what you earn your paycheque for, and find out exactly who they are." Her eyes rested on the suited human form of Baron. She pointed a sleek pen towards him. "Starting with that gentleman there."

Through Haru's mind, there was a sudden flurry of horror. What were they going to tell them? They hadn't worked out any sort of pseudonym for Baron to go by – usually there was no need… Even the name 'Humbert von Gikkingen' would probably come up with a few internet hits – after all, Baron had been about quite a bit. A range of names and images flickered across her mind – not all ones she recognised – until it finally rested on the form of her father.

"Drosselmeyer," Baron said. "David Drosselmeyer." He approached Catherine Keightley with an open hand.

"Unusual name," Keightley said. "Foreign, too."

"I'm not the only one."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Touché. So, how did you get here?"

"I have a little magic," he said. "But you know, I'm sure, how temperamental magic can be at times."

' _He's lying_ ,' Haru thought. ' _Why? To keep me safe?_ ' She shifted her grip on her bag, suddenly very aware of the golden ring it contained. ' _Or perhaps to keep something like a portal ring out of her possession?_ '

"Who are they?" Keightley asked, motioning to the rest of the Bureau.

"My companions."

"You all have high magic readings."

"Which is what will happen when one is transported through portals," Baron calmly assured her. "As well as when a communication charm is cast," he added, gesturing to Toto and Muta.

"Let us see an example of this magic of yours then. Do something. Impress me."

Baron opened his palm and a sphere of light – his usual vein of magic – blossomed into being in his palm. In the few seconds that its golden glow bathed the office with light, Haru saw his shoulders trembling from the effort. So much of his magic – and the lapis lazuli's – was being poured into keeping him human already.

The hair at his neck began to grow back into its furry form.

Haru grabbed his arm before the change could noticeably spread. "Enough. Please. You've spent too much magic already today."

The light collapsed in on itself. Baron exhaled a breath he probably hadn't even realised he had been holding, and lifted his gaze to Keightley. "Is that evidence enough?" He was sweating; something that the woman didn't fail to notice.

She looked disappointed. "I was hoping for something… _more_ from a self-proclaimed sorcerer."

"I didn't call myself a sorcerer. I simply said I had magic."

"True." Her icy gaze passed over the rest of the Bureau again, as if trying to gauge their place in this situation. "And, pray tell, what exactly were you trying to achieve when you were _accidentally_ deposited in my lovely little collection?"

"I was searching for something. An item."

"I'm afraid you'll have to be a little bit more specific. As you can tell, Drosselmeyer, we have many items here."

"A figurine. About this high." He motioned a foot off the desk. "Half-feline, probably well-dressed, and probably dark-furred."

"That's a lot of 'probablys' for such a simple-sounding item."

"It's been many years since I last saw it."

Keightley leant away from the desk, her back straightening as she furrowed her brows in concentration; an expression Haru felt was a little bit too much for show. "I believe we have something that fits your description. I can show it to you, if you want."

Haru felt Baron almost jump at the opportunity, but his response was measured. "That would be appreciated."

"Good, good. Ah, just yourself, mind you. Your… companions can stay with Tomoko while he conducts his research." She gave a sharp smile. "After all, we still have no proof of your real identity, _David_."

' _Great_ ,' Haru mentally moaned. ' _So we're basically hostages. Fantastic_.'

"In which case," Baron said, "I may need a moment alone to speak with my companions before we separate. If you wouldn't mind?"

Keightley considered this, before evidently coming to the conclusion that the intruders, as a whole, weren't the most dangerous of individuals. "If you must. You may borrow the secondary office for five minutes. I shall be counting."

"Thank you." With a surprisingly tight grip, Baron took Haru's wrist and led her – and the other two – to the door Keightley had gestured to. Haru pulled her hand free as soon as the door swung shut behind them.

"Baron?"

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean, _what's going on_?" she retorted. "How should I know?"

"Okay." Baron swayed slightly, as if resisted the urge to pace, and instead ran his hands stressfully through his hair. After a moment he halted the restless action as he remembered his human state. "Okay," he repeated, thoroughly un-Baron-like in his unease. "Something… Something is going on…"

"Well, duh. Great big magical collection 57 floors underground," Muta snorted. "Gee, how long have you been sitting on that realisation?"

"We've seen stranger," Haru said.

"I wasn't referring to that," Baron amended. He abruptly stilled and turned to the brunette at his side. Haru leant a little way back as Baron's face was suddenly startlingly close to hers. "Haru, I need you to think of a number between one and ten."

"What?"

"Please, just do it. Think that number… loudly."

Haru raised an eyebrow and swayed further back. "Okay, now you're acting strange."

"Please, Haru."

"Okay. Okay." She shrugged and closed her eyes, imagining the number in her mind. "Okay, I'm thinking of a number–"

"Five. It's five, isn't it?"

She peeked an eye open. "How–?"

"And again. Pick a different number." Baron paused, and then repeated, "A _different_ number, Haru."

"Ah, drat. I thought that might throw you off. Fine."

"Seven."

"Okay, now that is getting creepy." She opened both her eyes and stepped back. "Since when has telepathy been a skill of yours?"

"It's not."

"Um, Baron?" Toto flew over to the man's shoulder. "Could you explain what's going on?"

"Yes," Haru said. "Please do."

"It must be a side effect of going through the portal," Baron said. "Muta and Toto were physically switched around, while you and I, Haru, were switched… more subtly."

"Our minds got mixed up?" Haru asked. "Is…? Is that possible?"

"Given that I've been listening to your mental commentary for the past ten minutes, I suspect it is," he said. "Oh, and ' _show off'_?"

Haru recalled when the thought had crossed her mind. "Well, you are."

Muta snorted.

"And is that really important right now?" she continued. "So, if you can hear my thoughts, why haven't I…?" Wait, she had. Momentarily when Baron had been asked for a name. She had felt that surge of panic, the whir of his mind rush over his options.

"The connection will not be perfect," he said. "It will vary depending on the vivacity of the thought, the clarity, the strength of the emotion..."

"Alright, I get it. So, what do we do about this? Do we just… carry on, or…?"

"Hey, if I've gotta stick around as birdbrain, then I don't see why ya should get any special treatment."

Baron shrugged lightly at Muta's complaint. "We have bigger fish to fry for now."

"Including the fact that you only have three-quarters of an hour until you can't maintain the human spell anymore," Toto added. "We're running out of time."

"True. You three will have to accompany Mr Tomoko, while I'll…"

"You're going to see if you can find the Duke," Haru finished. "Fine. But be careful. And, just for the record, what exactly is your plan if this figurine does turn out to be the Duke?"

The human Baron gave a wide, feline smile. "Improvise."

Haru tilted her head to one side, her eyes narrowing at him. "You really don't have a clue, do you?"

"Yes–"

"No, you don't. I just heard your thoughts–"

"I assure you–"

"No, you don't," she repeated. "You don't even have the beginning of a plan. Do you do this a lot?"

"Only occasionally."

"Liar."

ooOoo

"So how did you end up with tall, dark, and mysterious?" Tsuge looked up from the database he was searching, leaning away from the keyboard to glance over to Haru. "There looks like there's quite the story between you two."

"What are we?" Muta muttered. "Furniture?"

Haru, who had been gently swivelling round on the wheeled computer chair, came to a slow halt. She felt strangely embarrassed to have had her secret life unceremoniously revealed before her best friend's boyfriend. Hiromi was going to go nuts if she ever learnt that Tsuge had learnt the truth before she did.

"Not really," she murmured. "I guess I just kinda… fell in with him and his work."

"His work? And what would that be?"

"You're the researcher. You tell me."

Tsuge motioned lightly to the screen. "Well, we don't seem to have many records on a David Drosselmeyer. There's mention of a man by that name being around… oh, about fifty years ago, but he seems to vanish off the face of the Earth not long afterwards. So either there's something funny going on or your man is much older than he looks."

"Ah, magic. Who can tell?"

"Of course, this is all assuming that 'David Drosselmeyer' is his real name," Tsuge said. "Is it, Haru?"

She held his gaze. Her heart was hammering as the lie caught in her throat. "His history is complicated."

"Who is he, Haru?"

"He's a busybody who likes to stick his nose in other people's business." She paused and added, "He means well, Tsuge. He's no danger to anyone."

"Someone who can bust their way into a high-security vault 57 floors down isn't someone who we can easily dismiss as harmless."

' _Yeah, but he wasn't the one who got us here. I was._ ' She kept that thought to herself. Baron had deliberately taken the credit for their appearance here. After all, what would a woman like Keightley do with the power to jump to other worlds? "He's kind, Tsuge," she said. "And I trust him."

"Says the woman who's been keeping a double life for goodness knows how long."

"Okay. True. But–"

"To be honest, it's a relief to finally find out what the big secret was," Tsuge continued. "I knew there was something going on, but I couldn't simply ask, could I?"

"Wait – you knew?"

"I knew that there was something more to you than you made it appear. For one, I think we all remember what happened at Fenland House…"

Haru repressed the shiver. "It's been hard to forget."

"You took charge of the situation as if it was something you did every day. And, for another, you practically radiate magic. So I knew you were doing something magic-related in your spare time. That, or the pet shop was just a front."

"It's not," Haru quickly interjected. "Michael has nothing to do with any of this."

"Already worked that much out. I went in one time and, except for the magic you had left about, there was nothing particularly special about it."

"You… seem to have done quite a thorough job here… How did you know about the magic?"

"With this little beauty." Tsuge retrieved his phone and clicked onto an app of sorts. It gave a clear, high ring that intensified as he held it out towards Haru. "Technology is amazing, isn't it?" He turned the detector off and pocketed his mobile. "It's not particularly good at telling us exactly what kind of magic we're dealing with, but it's a good start."

Haru's mind made a jump. "Wait, so if… let's say… something suddenly gained magic, you'd be able to tell?"

"Yes."

"So… the figurine that Keightley is showing my friend? Has that been… acting strange at all?"

Tsuge turned fully to her. "There was a sudden surge of magic a couple of months ago, but it's been stable since then. In fact, the main point of interest has been the hoax taxidermy creature that came to life around the same time…"

"What?" Haru shot up in her chair. "Show me."

ooOoo

"Ah, Hakamada. So good of you to join us." Catherine Keightley scowled towards the newcomer. "Tomoko told me you were going over the security footage. Tell me you have good news."

"I'm afraid not. It looks like the electronics were disrupted by whatever magic they used to arrive." The man hurried along the corridor to catch up with his employer and Baron. He was tall and rather monochrome in colour; a long black coat silhouetted his form, brightened only by the white shirt he wore beneath. He smiled pleasantly at Baron. "Talking of which, here's one of the troublemakers himself. Hakamada, at your service," he said, offering a hand to the Creation. His accent was unremarkable, save for the occasional strange pronunciation.

"There'll be plenty of time for extended pleasantries later," Keightley interrupted in a bored tone. "Let's just cover the basics for now. Hakamada, this is David Drosselmeyer; Drosselmeyer, this is one of my chief researchers. He's the one who studies and catalogues the curiosities that are collected. Drosselmeyer here claims to be a magician of sorts."

"I have magic. Let's just leave it at that," Baron said. He shook the offered hand, returning the smile. "A researcher, you say? You must see quite a lot in your line of work."

"I've seen enough to be good at my job. And what about you? You must have seen a few sights as well, being a magician and all. What about your companions? Don't tell me they're magicians too."

"No, it's only myself, I'm afraid. The others are… simply friends."

"Ah, well; everyone needs company. Although the girl looks like more than simply a friend, if you ask me."

"Nobody asked you, Hakamada."

The researcher grinned, even with Keightley's deadpanned response. "You'll have to excuse me. There isn't much around in the form of gossip here, so you have to take what you can get."

"That's because I pay you to work, not to chatter. Okay people, we're here." They turned a corner and came face-to-face with a small display cabinet. "Say hello to Hakamada's favourite little project. Is this what you were looking for?"

Baron stepped up to the glass. His eyes travelled over the foot-tall, semi-feline figurine, familiar in so many ways. The fur was the same, like a darker counter version to his own markings, but the eyes were hollow. Even though he could sense the magic surrounding the Creation, it was dormant. It felt… muted.

"Yes," he breathed. "Yes, this is him."

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser:** _ **"There aren't a million possible combinations; there are thirty-six. Haru, get out of there!" / "Oh, my dear, you will be a far more valuable acquisition to the collection than even your little Creation friend…" / Haru stared down the barrel of the gun, into the face of the Creation. "Don't test me. You don't know what I'm capable of." "Oh, but I do. You and I, Haru, are not that different after all. We'd both do anything to keep those we love safe." / "Don't you see, Baron? Don't you see what you turn people into? Miss Haru, you'll never be like him, because you're human and whole. But him? He's shattered."**_


	12. Linked (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 12: Linked (Part 2)**

Haru abruptly stopped walking. Through her link with Baron, she had felt the sudden surge of adrenaline. For a moment – a brief moment, but a clear one nonetheless – she had seen the image of the Duke, inanimate and silent.

"He's found him," she gasped.

"What's the matter, Chicky?"

Tsuge paused. "What is it?"

Subconsciously she passed a hand over her heart, as if she could erase away the connection. There had been so much emotion packed into that mental, unintentional punch. Fear. Hatred. Emotions she rarely believed the calm and collected Baron to possess. Was this just his humanity taking over, or was there more anger beneath the surface than she had ever imagined?

"I… I'm fine. Just felt like someone walked over my grave, that's all," she attempted to brush off with a laugh. "I'm fine. Are we nearly at this hoax creature yet?" She shivered, and this time it wasn't from the backlash of Baron's emotions. "I'm not afraid to admit that this place creeps me out."

"Creeps you out?" Tsuge grinned. "I thought you dealt with magic and monsters all the time."

"Yes, but they're usually… more alive. This place feels like a morgue."

"Well, there are times when I'm pleased these are dead." He laughed and pointed towards a stuffed wolf-creature that was almost twice the size of any regular hound. "We picked that up from England a couple of years back – apparently the creature was shot down on the moors. Now that is a creature I'm glad I didn't get the chance to see alive."

The rest of the Bureau lingered at the exhibit, with Muta keeping close to Haru's feet. He tripped a little over his newly-acquired bird legs. "Hey, Chicky… ain't that…?"

"Let's just keep going," she said. "So, Tsuge, what exactly is this hoax creature?"

"It's old – it's been in the Keightley collection for years. From the records, it looks like one of Keightley's ancestors bought the piece only to later discover it was a fake. You know, some taxidermist had taken a group of dead animals and sowed them into one creation. Pretty morbid, if you ask me."

"Those sorts of hoaxes aren't unusual," Toto said. "So why is this one still in the collection? Sentimental reasons?"

"I think it was just forgotten about, to be honest. But there is one very strange thing about it…"

"What?" Haru asked.

"Well, when taxidermists wanted to make something that was half-human – mermaid, faun – they usually used monkeys, but this one…" Tsuge paused outside a heavily secured door, already hovering a hand over the keypad. "Well… let's just say the taxidermist wanted realism."

"They used a real human?" she whispered.

Tsuge smiled grimly. "Are you still sure you want to see it?"

What other choice did they have? From the time scale Tsuge had given them, it looked like it had been their magic which had… awoken this creature. In some form, this hoax was their responsibility.

"Yes. Let's go."

ooOoo

Baron stood before the inanimate form of his old foe – his old self – and felt the emotions pouring out of him. And, equally so, he could feel Haru reeling at the sudden inflow of ugly feelings. He tried to reel it, to only limited success.

"He's so… quiet," he murmured.

Hakamada laughed. "What did you expect? It's just a figurine."

No. He was more than that. So much more. And yet now…

"This isn't right," Baron said. "He shouldn't be empty like this…" He turned to the researcher. "What did you do?"

"Same as with any object in the collection," Keightley answered for him. "Study it." Her eyes narrowed as she observed Baron's distress. "It's a relatively recent addition; it's always emitted magic but, other than that, it's never been too much of interest to myself. Why? What is it?"

"He… It…" Caught in a sudden bout of inarticulateness, Baron stumbled to a verbal halt. Eventually he could only manage the weak echo of, "This isn't right. And, what's more, this doesn't make sense. The magic's there, it's just dormant. Almost as if something's missing…" He trailed off and his eyes shifted to Hakamada. "You're covered with magic."

Hakamada gave a weak, confused smile. "Of course I am. I spend all day in this place. I think you'll find any person who works here will be."

"This doesn't make sense," he repeated. "I was so sure…" ' _So sure that the Duke was a part of the other Haru's demise,_ ' his mind finished. ' _Now how do I fight against a future I don't understand the cause of? How do I protect her?_ '

"Look, I've been studying it for weeks now," Hakamada said in what he probably hoped was a reassuring tone. "There's nothing there, mate. Just trust me; I would know. Why don't you come and take a look at my research? Perhaps there'll be something of use there."

ooOoo

"Tucker! I've brought in some guests to admire your little pet!" Tsuge swung the door shut behind them, which slammed shut with ominous finality. "Welcome to the Lair," he said with a grin to the Bureau. "Tucker's a great guy, mad scientist part aside."

"I've told you before, Tomoko, I'm not a mad scientist." A middle-aged man, who Haru assumed was the aforementioned Tucker, strode across the dimly-lit room. "I experiment and observe the results to conclude greater detail about the manananggal."

"The what?"

At Muta's question, Tucker glanced down. Simultaneously, his eyebrows rose up at the cat. "Talking felines, now I've seen everything." He knelt down and prodded at the fat cat. "Cats don't possess the physical ability to talk – everything from their voicebox, their tongue, their jaw, heck, even their brains, should make this an impossibility. So what's the trick?"

"Are you calling me stupid, four-eyes?"

"Muta's a little… short-tempered," Haru warned, gently nudging Muta behind her. "Although I admit I'm equally curious about the creature."

Tucker's eyes lit up from behind his glasses. "Well then, you are in for a treat. Let me show you."

He stood back up and strolled over to the darkened section of the room, flicking on a light switch as he went. The far side of the room lit up to reveal a cell separated by a thick pane of glass. And, in the far corner, was a creature shrouded in a leathery black material.

It twitched against the oncoming light, and curled up tighter in its protective folds.

"What…? What is it?" Haru whispered. She found herself drawn to the glass, a hand gently rising up to rest against the barrier.

"A manananggal, we believe."

"Try saying that after a couple of beers," Tsuge added with a grin.

Tucker wasn't exactly impressed. "It's a creature that comes from Philippine mythology; half-human, half-bat, all cannibal. Or, at least, it would be if it was real. As things stand, we have no evidence that such creatures have ever or do exist. This individual was a hoax created during the Victorian era, and was simply an embarrassing fake in the collection until recently…" He tapped a hand against the glass. "Rise and shine, my dear. Time to perform for our guests."

A snarl rose through the air. The leathery cover that Haru had mistaken for some type of covering began to twitch; as it extended outwards, muscle and bone took definition amid the black. It rose up until two large, demonic wings stretched out above it, tipped with wicked claws.

Beneath the canopy of its wings, the manananggal stirred. A female form, dressed in rags, stretched, easing feeling back into her muscles. Her fingers flexed, and her hands formed spindly, pointed silhouettes, too gaunt to be human. A forked tongue flickered between her lips.

But it was her eyes that set Haru back.

They were utterly human.

A hand flew up to Haru's mouth.

This… This was the creature she had seen before. The creature she had seen in the mist between dimensions, between worlds.

"Can she talk?"

Tucker shook his head. "The creature seems to be, by all definitions, mad. We've tried to reach out to it–"

"How about, you know, not keeping her caged?" she offered curtly.

"Haru, it tore three people up when it first woke," Tsuge said. "It's dangerous."

"It's the combination of animal and human," Toto said. It was the first time he had spoken since the manananggal had been revealed, and now there was a hollowness to his voice. "Just like with Doctor Moreau's hybrids. In the end, it turns them all mad."

"I thought the magic only awoke almost-Creations," Haru replied. "Not… _corpses_ …"

"Do ya think the corpses just ended up like that?" Muta grunted. "Think, Chicky. Someone's gotta have put them together in the first place. Guess that's making a Creation of sorts, right?"

"For once, the fatso's right. The original taxidermist must have put a lot of effort into creating the fake; enough to make it an almost-Creation. All it needed was a little… push."

"Yeah. Too bad it's off its rocker, huh?" Muta added.

"What are you talking about?" Too late, the Bureau remembered the other two humans present. And Tucker had a sharp ear. "Almost-Creations? You talk as if this is something you understand."

Haru looked to Toto and Muta, and shrugged helplessly. They had said too much to backtrack now. "That's because… I guess we do understand. Several weeks back, we released some… magic. It tends to turn up in… bringing to life certain… objects. This isn't the first one we've encountered."

"Okay, so I'm re-evaluating you right now," Tsuge said. "Also, what kind of magic are you messing around with for it to do something like… this?"

Haru hesitated. Did she really want to explain Creations? Should she?

Luckily, Muta was a lot less tongue-tied.

"Eh, don't bother asking us. That's more Baron's area."

"Baron?"

"David," Haru quickly amended. "Baron is just a… nickname."

Tsuge chuckled to himself. "Suits him." Abruptly there was rapid movement on the other side of the glass. The half-bat Creation flew up and slammed herself against the constraints of her cage. She scratched her claw-like nails across the glass, screeching at the people before her.

Haru leapt back, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. "Is that normal?" By the way Tucker was sent running for his notes, she was betting on the negative. "Should we be worried?"

"Worried?" Tsuge echoed. "Not a chance. The glass is reinforced, right, Tucker?"

"It's never done any substantial damage yet," the scientist replied.

Writhing against the glass, the manananggal stretched open its wide, wide mouth – why did everything dangerous have such sharp teeth? – and its forked tongue flickered out again. And, trained upon Haru was its so very human eyes. "Let me out…" it hissed.

"Then again…" Tucker said slowly, lowering his clipboard, "it's never talked before either…"

It screamed and sent its claws digging into the glass. This time it gained purchase on the surface, sending cracks across the barrier. "Give me… your magic…"

Suddenly Tucker and Tsuge were looking at Haru.

"You have magic?" Tsuge asked.

"I…"

"Let me… out…"

"Is this really an issue at the moment?" Toto demanded, waddling over to Haru's side. "That thing looks like it's about to break free!"

"It can't be," Tucker insisted. "I've been watching it for weeks now. If it could escape from the cage, it would have long before now."

"Unless… it now sees a way out of this place," Haru whispered. "What if it was only biding its time…?" Her magic, her portal magic… and the ring… Creations could sense magic; was it possible that the manananggal could sense the power she possessed? With the ring, it could leave this place. And if Haru was dragged along, the manananggal could go anywhere from the Wood Between Worlds. "We need to leave. Now."

Her words were accompanied by the smash of the glass shattering. With a victorious screech, the Creation flew towards Haru, her talons outstretched.

"Don't worry, Haru! I've got this!" Toto leapt up, forgot he no longer had wings, and came crashing down. Luckily, Haru was less immobilised; she swung her bag off her shoulder, slamming it into the oncoming claws. She snatched up Toto from the floor and ran towards the door.

"Someone open up the door!"

"On it!" Tsuge was already there, keying in the code. The door slid open and they fled out. Tsuge slammed the close button as soon as they were all past the door, shutting the manananggal inside.

"Tucker, mate," Tsuge said, gasping for breath, "I think you made a mistake in your calculations."

"I could only calculate based on my observations," Tucker replied stiffly. "And from what the manananggal had shown before now–"

"Who cares?" Muta demanded. "All that matters is that that thing's loose."

"Hardly," Tucker scoffed. "That door has a six-digit lock. There's a million possible combinations it has to choose from."

Toto raised one ear against the door. "Let's hope it doesn't get lucky then. It's attempting to break the code."

ooOoo

Baron sat amid the swamped disorganisation of Hakamada's office, sorting his way through the research papers and files with rapidly cooling hope. "So the figurine came into the collection about six months back, and during that time it's always emitted a steady flow of magic… except for an incident several months back…"

"Yes. There was a sudden influx of magic but it quickly died back down again," Hakamada said. "Since then, it's been pretty quiet."

The radio beeped, and Tsuge's voice came onto the line. " _Miss Keightley, we have a problem_."

The woman scoffed and raised the radio to her mouth. "What is it now, Tomoko?"

" _Uh… Tucker's project has got a little out of hand…_ "

"I don't have time to beat around the bush, Tomoko. What, exactly, has gone wrong?"

There was an abrupt scuffle on the other end as another person took the radio from Tsuge. " _Tucker here, ma'am. The manananggal has escaped from its cage. It's contained in my research area, however, so the situation is still under somewhat control. It cannot break the code._ "

"The manananggal?" Baron asked. "What's that?"

"A hoax taxidermy monstrosity," Hakamada explained. "It came alive around the same time the figurine had a blip, although it's a waste of resources if you ask me. The creature's half-mad."

"I've heard of the manananggal before," the Creation murmured. "It's something of Philippine folklore; a half-human, half-bat creature…"

"Yes, and now we've had one caged up for the past few weeks," Hakamada said.

There was yet another scuffle from the other end of the radio line, and this time Haru won the fight. " _Hey, is Baron there? I need to talk to him._ "

Baron grabbed the radio from Keightley, even before she had a chance to ask about the lapse in name. "I'm here. What is it, Haru?"

" _It's a Creation. That's what must have brought me here – perhaps some of your remnant magic ended up waking it up–_ "

"No. The Duke's here. Wait…" A thought passed over Baron's mind. "Did you mention a code?"

" _Yeah. It's what's keeping the manananggal on that side. Tucker says that there's a million possible combinations though."_

"It may not keep it in for long," Baron groaned. "Everyone in this building is contaminated with magic. Magic the Creation will be able to see. Every time someone types in the code, they'll leave a residue on the buttons. There aren't a million combinations. How many numbers are in the code?"

" _Six_."

"Then there are thirty-six possible combinations, at most. Haru, get out of there!"

" _Gee, thanks. Why are we always forgotten?_ " Muta muttered from the other end.

Keightley snatched the radio back, glaring at Baron. "Tucker, Tomoko, retreat and allow the guards to tackle the situation. I'll be joining you shortly."

" _Yes, ma'am._ " It sounded like Tucker had retrieved the radio from Haru. " _Also, I believe you should know that the manananggal appeared motivated by alleged magic possessed by Miss Haru_."

"That… is news to me. Keep Miss Haru and her friends with you until I arrive." She clipped the radio back onto her belt and delivered a dagger-filled glare at Baron. "Drosselmeyer, I believe you have been less-than-honest with me. And believe me when I say that I do not appreciate being lied to."

"I was only trying to protect my friends."

"And I am only trying to protect my collection. Hakamada, keep our guest here until the situation is sorted out with the manananggal."

"But you're going to need me," Baron snapped. He stepped forward, but abruptly Keightley had hoisted a gun from her belt and was aiming the barrel straight into his face.

"And what makes you think I would possibly believe something like that after your deceit so far? Magic you may have, but I doubt that little else you told me was true. And I do not need someone who I do not trust."

"My friends are down there."

"Then you should have thought of that before coming here. I'll be locking the door behind me, and if you so much as think about breaking the code like our little manananggal friend, Hakamada will deal with you."

"I'm a Creation," Baron blurted out.

Keightley paused at the door. "What?"

"You wanted the truth, so here it is. I am a Creation, like that statuette once was," he said, motioning to the inanimate form of the Duke. "My name is Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, and I am a figurine created with enough love that I was given a soul. That is the truth. Now, please, let me help my friends."

The woman watched him carefully. "Show me."

Baron relaxed his magic for the feline side of his appearance to return. Fur flowed back over his skin, reshaping his face and realigning his ears, until he was a half-feline creature standing before Keightley. He didn't reduce the spell to change him back into his foot-high state, but the change was enough. "Please. Let me help my friends."

Keightley's gaze moved over Baron's new appearance, and a little smile twitched at the corner of her lips. "And let such an interesting new specimen escape? I think not. Hakamada, make sure he doesn't leave." She turned and the door slid silently behind her.

There was a slow clap. Baron turned to see Hakamada rise from his seat once Keightley had left. "Well, well, well. That was far more amusing than I could ever have hoped for. You must really care for those friends of yours."

Baron felt his innards go cold. Something new had entered Hakamada's eyes. Something cruel. Something familiar. "Who are you?"

ooOoo

"Are you sure we're going to be safe here?"

"That thing looked like it was coming after you, so I'm not sure you're going to be safe anywhere," Tsuge said, jarring the door shut with a chair. They had retreated to one of the collection's storerooms, where items that had recently been brought in were kept. "And since when did you have magic? I thought it was just residue from that friend of yours."

"It's… kind of a long story."

"Oh, please, go ahead," Tucker said drolly. "It's not as if we have much else to do here."

"Look, I don't have much magic. It only really reacts to certain things. Don't we have a way of keeping track of what's going on outside?" she asked, trying to deter the conversation from herself.

"We're in a glorified cupboard, Chicky," Muta snorted. "How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"Actually, we do have a wireless internet system throughout the collection," Tsuge offered. "Well, it's more like an enclosed intranet, but I should be able to access the cameras through it…" He drew out his phone and began to type.

"I should be out there," Tucker muttered, looking to the door. "It was my project to study, and now those moronic guard are probably going to shoot it dead."

"Better that than it kill more people," Toto muttered.

"You might be getting your wish, Tucker," Tsuge said. "It's guessed the key code and now it seems to be coming this way. Looks like I was right. Looks like it is after you, Haru."

"Or it's after the person who caged it up," she retorted, looking pointedly to Tucker.

"It's probably after you, Chicky. Because that's always our luck."

Haru considered this. "You've got a point."

"So what exactly is your magic?" Tsuge asked. "Why would it be after your magic specifically?"

"I… uh, can activate dormant portals. It's not much, but if the manananggal wanted to find a way out…"

"Then you're the obvious target."

"So it would seem." She shifted so to get a better look at Tsuge's phone. "What about Baron? Where is he?"

Tsuge clicked through the camera feeds, and once again Haru was separated from Baron with only a security camera to rely on. Their no-separation policy was becoming shakier by the second.

"I've found Keightley… but he's not with her."

"Try Hakamada's office," Tucker suggested.

"I can't – the feed's jammed."

A wave of second-hand nausea swept through Haru and she felt her knees buckle. She grabbed a nearby crate and dropped herself down onto the floor.

' _Who are you?_ '

In her mind, she saw through Baron's eyes. A tall, dark-haired man stood before him, smiling coldly. And now a new wave of emotions, but this time solely from Haru, rose up in her. Recognition. "No…"

Toto waddled over to her as fast as Muta's short legs would allow him. "Haru?"

"Tsuge, show me a picture of this Hakamada," she ordered. "Now."

Tsuge looked to Tucker, bemused, but followed her demand. He brought up the staff profile list. "Hakamada's been with us for a while. He–"

Haru snatched the phone off Tsuge before he could finish and, sure enough, Haru recognised the man. "He's… He's the one…" she whispered.

Tsuge retrieved his phone, and now was more than a little unnerved by Haru's fear. "What?"

"He's the one who delivered the lilies."

"Am I missing something here?"

Toto and Muta weren't so oblivious to Haru's meaning.

"What?"

"Are you sure, Haru?"

"How could I forget?" she asked. "What's he doing here? And why…?" She groaned and rubbed her hands against her eyes. "Baron needs to know this."

"And how are ya gonna do that, Chicky? He doesn't exactly have a radio on him, does he?"

A thud heralded the arrival of the manananggal at their door.

"Where are those guards?" Tucker hissed. "Give me that." He grabbed Tsuge's phone and reverted the image to the camera feed.

Haru paused, her hands stilling over her eyes. She closed them and tried to bring up that connection that Baron had talked about. The same connection that had, however momentarily, allowed her to see through his eyes.

But there had been strong emotion that had come from Baron with the image. So… did he already know? Whatever the chances were, she couldn't risk it. She concentrate on one thing, and one thing alone.

Baron.

ooOoo

Hakamada grinned at the half-feline. "You don't recognise an old friend? Oh, I am wounded. Well, I guess I have changed a little since we last met." His eyes danced with malicious mirth. "But what about yourself? I thought that you weren't interested in being human. I don't see what could have possibly changed your mind, except for… ah…" His smile widened yet further. "The girl."

"Keep away from her!"

Hakamada only chuckled. "My, such a response over such an ordinary little human girl." He slipped a hand into his desk and retrieved a firearm. "Oh, don't worry. This is just to make sure you don't get any ideas. I don't know how mortal that body is, but I'm sure a bullet will still hurt."

"Who are you?"

"Why don't you guess? You already have an idea, don't you? I can see it in your eyes." Hakamada approached Baron, his hands resting behind his back and his posture straight but relax as he neared Baron. "How did you find so much magic to sustain a transformation? Surely you're not strong enough to hold such a spell on your own. Why, I'm surprised you can even stand with that kind of magical strain."

"What about you?" Baron growled. "That human body is not the result of any enchantment. Who did it belong to before you took it?"

"Took it? My dear Baron, I took nothing."

"That body belonged to a human, Duke. What did you do?"

The other man laughed, clapping his hands together in glee. "And now you finally name me! It's been a long time, Baron."

"I had hoped I had seen the last of you."

"Oh, you'll never be rid of me, Baron. You're too weak and I'm too fond of making you dance."

"Whose body is that?"

"Oh, this old thing?" The Duke looked down at his human self. "Dear old Hakamada. He really was quite the curious creature, you know. Too curious, really."

"What did you do?"

"I made a bet with him. We'd play a game and if I lost, I would tell him all I knew… and if he lost, well then…" and he grinned wickedly, "we'd switch bodies. Only thing is, I took the magic with me in the changeover. And, of course, Creations need magic in order to move. Otherwise they're just… inanimate figurines endowed with a soul. Poor, delusional Hakamada."

He laughed.

"Of course, in time this body will wear out, but I expect I'll find a way to transfer my soul back into the figurine by then, and then repeat the process. You should try it some time, Baron. Maybe the human girl will look your way then."

In Baron's mind, fresh confusion sprang up – confusion that wasn't necessarily his. With a jolt, he felt Haru's presence occupying the back of his mind.

"Haru?"

"Oh, is that her name?" the Duke asked, ignorant of the shared connection between Haru and Baron. "She seems to be a sweet little thing… Pitifully human though, even with her magic. And yet, for some reason I cannot fathom, you've fallen for her."

He felt Haru reel from the Duke's words. It wasn't surprise, so much as the fear that hearing those words said made it real.

"Duke, stop this–"

"Or what? You've mellowed, Baron. When we separated, I took all the real fire you had. And when Louise was lost, it looks like it broke what was left of you. Perhaps that's why you've fallen for the weak little human."

A surge of anger flowed through from Haru and into Baron. Fierce, protective anger. Anger that Baron had rarely seen so white-hot with rage in the brunette.

' _No_.'

ooOoo

' _No_.'

Haru snapped away from the connection, her fury blinding her from her concentration. She knew Baron could still feel the rage on her side, but her mental words were too blurred by her anger for even herself to make sense of them. She unsteadily rose to her feet.

"Hey, Chicky… What are you doing?"

"Hakamada is the Duke," she said. "Baron's trapped in his office with him. I need to get to him."

"Yeah, but you can't leave this room – or have ya forgotten about the crazy bat lady outside?"

The occupants of the room flinched as the manananggal threw herself against the door. Again. It was beginning to crack from the strain, and this time the Creation's long, spindly claws dug their way through the wood.

"The ring," Haru said. "I can use it to transport to the Wood Between Worlds, and then step back into the Human World portal. If I focus on Baron, like I did before, I should appear much closer to where Baron and the Duke are."

"You've used so much magic already today," Toto warned. "If you jump there and back again, you could collapse."

"I can't leave Baron alone with the Duke. I need to get to him."

"Wait!" Tsuge grabbed Haru's arm before she could collect the ring from her bag. "Keightley has arrived with reinforcements. Look." He turned his phone over to Haru, showing her the video feed from the camera outside the door. Sure enough, the woman was marching down the corridor with the guards at her heels. She held a simple gun at her side.

"No…" Tucker gasped. "Don't shoot!" he shouted from within. "It's one of a kind! It's a miracle!"

On the camera, Keightley narrowed her lips into a thin line and raised the gun.

There was a single bang.

The manananggal's furious attack stopped. There was a dull thud as the body dropped down onto the floor.

The moment the danger had been lifted, Haru was out of the door in a heartbeat. She went running in what she believed to be the direction of Hakamada's office, only for Keightley to grab her arm as she went by.

"Why the hurry, Miss Haru? We've barely been introduced."

"Please, I need to get going. I need to get back to Baron."

"The two of you are like a broken record," Keightley remarked. Her hold on Haru's arm tightened, bringing Haru's attempts to pull herself free to a complete halt. "So eager to get to the other's side. We have some unfinished business, Miss Haru."

"Look, we can discuss this later, but right now I need to get going! I think Baron's in danger!"

"He's with a trustworthy employee of mine, Miss Haru. No harm will come to him while he's under my watch."

"You don't understand. Hakamada, he's not–"

"Explain to me why the manananggal was so eager to reach you," Keightley ordered. "What is so special about your magic?"

"She can control portals," Tucker offered. "The manananggal saw her as a means of escape."

"It's not that simple," Haru snapped. "I can only activate dormant portals."

"She was talking about leaving via a ring of sorts."

Haru glared daggers at the scientist. "Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?"

Tucker didn't reply. Instead he only snatched Haru's bag away from her. She lashed out, trying to snag it back, but Keightley pulled her away. Suddenly there was the cold metal touch of a gun in her back, courtesy of Keightley. Haru stilled.

"That's better. Now, explain the ring."

"Don't touch it!" Haru shouted. "If you touch it, it'll transport you away instantly." If Tucker, who was already rummaging through her bag, made even the slightest contact with the ring, he and her bag would disappear. "Let me show you."

Keightley stared down at her, weighing up the truth of Haru's words. After what felt like an age, the woman nodded for Tucker to pass the bag over to Haru. "Attempt even a single trick," she warned, "and you won't be seeing your friends again."

Haru shivered and took her bag back. She dropped a hand into an inner side pocket and drew out the tissue in which she kept the ring covered in. She really needed a better system. Carefully, she unwrapped it. "This ring takes a person, or group of people, to a place called the Wood Between Worlds. From there, you can travel to almost any known world."

She was not surprised by the overt greed that rose in Keightley's eyes. "I've heard of such rings. The stories say they were all destroyed. Is that… how you got here?"

Haru nodded.

"Wait, the gold rings only take you to the Wood Between Worlds," Keightley recalled. "Where is the green one? Where is the counter ring needed to transport you away from the Wood?"

"We don't have one."

"That's impossible. You cannot travel out of the Wood Between Worlds without one." Keightley's eyes narrowed. "Unless… you can activate dormant portals, like the ones in the Wood…"

Haru paled as Keightley's greed shifted from just the ring, to the person who held it. "Please, I've told you what you wanted to know. Let us go to Baron now."

"But this is wonderful. Think of the possibilities! Oh, you will be a far more valuable acquisition to the collection than even your little Creation friend…"

"What?" Haru's head spun, but not only at the term 'acquisition'. "What do you mean, 'Creation friend'?"

"I know all about Baron's real identity," Keightley laughed. "He told the moment he heard about the manananggal. He was so scared for your safety that he traded the truth for a chance to save you. It's a shame I had to go back on my word but, you know, it's hardly every day that one discovers a living doll. I couldn't let him escape…"

Fresh rage coursed through Haru. She could feel Baron recoiling from the onslaught, but she was past caring. Let him know her fury. "What… have you done?" she snarled. "What did you do?"

"Oh, nothing. Yet. But there's simply so much to learn from something like him. As there is from you."

"No."

Keightley dropped her head to one side and smiled thinly at the brunette. "Oh, sweet child. Do you think you actually have a choice about this? You see, you two are each other's greatest weakness. I possess one, I possess both."

"No."

Now Keightley's smile finally faltered. "No, _what_?"

"I said NO!" She grabbed Keightley's wrist and wrapped her free hand around the ring. They vanished.

ooOoo

Baron's head was silent.

The presence that had been Haru disappeared without notice. He had received backlash from an onslaught of anger and hatred, paired only with a screamed, "No!" He stumbled where he stood. From Haru's disjointed memories, he recalled the gun that Keightley had been carrying.

"No."

"No, what?" the Duke demanded. "Can't you see I'm talking here? Rude."

Baron was now shaking, his world shaken with the thought of Haru gone. Perhaps this was how it happened. Not with Louise or even the Duke. But killed by the thoughtless bullet of a single cruel human, while he… he had abandoned her.

"I should never have let her leave my sight," he whispered.

The Duke finally took notice of Baron's new unease. He tilted his head to one side in a notably feline manner. "Who? The girl? Probably not." He grinned a Cheshire Cat smile. "But, then again, you were so eager to find me, it didn't even occur to you, did it?

ooOoo

Haru came to in the peaceful glade of the Wood. Her memories were hazy, but there were still tears on her cheeks. Tears? Tears of what? Anger? Happiness? Sadness? She couldn't recall. The air was just so warm and still; she could stay in that calm little wood forever…

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Remnants of the emotions she had left behind when she had transported herself and Keightley to the Wood Between Worlds.

Keightley.

Even quicker than the previous times, Haru's memories came rushing back. Along with her simmering anger that threatened to turn her stomach. An acquisition. That was what Keightley had called them both. She and Baron were to be nothing more than another exhibit in Keightley's family collection.

She rose to her feet, tucking the ring back into her pocket. Keightley was as absent-minded as any newcomer to the strange, void-like quality of the Wood Between Worlds. The older woman could only smile pleasantly as Haru walked by, all memory of her life back on Earth gone.

It would return sooner or later. Probably later.

Haru swept up the gun that Keightley had brought with her to the Wood, and strode towards the pond that led back to the Human World. It somehow seemed wrong to leave the weapon idling in the peaceful glade.

"You wanted to see other worlds," Haru muttered. "So enjoy this one."

She stepped into the portal's waters, and found herself sucked into the strange, between-worlds dimension. She would come back for Keightley later, she promised herself. Eventually. But for now she had to find Baron.

He was her priority.

It was far easier this time. Both Baron and the Duke's magic lit up the same spot of the world. She was drawn almost effortlessly towards the bright light that consisted of their shared magic. The Human World dropped into focus around her as she stepped out of the between-dimension and into Hakamada's office.

Her feet touched down before the world cleared, but when it did, her eyes focused immediately on Baron.

Alive.

Asserting that he seemed to be unharmed, her gaze moved straight on to the other human in the room. Hakamada. The man who had given her the box of lilies. The man responsible for Baron's time in Cap's world. Her eyes narrowed.

"You."

"Ah, the lady of the hour arrives!" Hakamada lifted his hands in a mockery of the hat-tipping motion that Baron so often indulged in. "We were just talking about you."

"You're okay," Baron gasped.

Haru straightened a little at the overwhelming relief from Baron; both through his words and their shared mental link, which had returned upon her re-entry into the Human World. The force of his relief nearly bowled Haru over.

"Baron?"

"Your mind went silent. I thought…"

"I just took a little trip to the Wood Between Worlds," Haru said. "I'm okay."

"Well, isn't this sweet. But, Baron, you've yet to introduce me to your lovely companion."

"I know who you are," Haru snapped. "I know what you did."

"Oh, I'd forgotten we'd met once already. My mistake. But allow me to introduce myself properly this time." Hakamada grinned and gave a sweeping bow. "The Duke, at your service. I hope you've heard of me. Oho. I see from your expression that you have. What an honour."

"He's human," Haru whispered, her voice hoarse. She looked to Baron. "Why is he human? Is he using a spell like yours?"

"Not hardly, my dear," the Duke answered. "The original Hakamada lost this body in a little bet we placed. It's a much more reliable way to blend in with the humans; far easier than exhausting your own power to maintain a shapeshifting enchantment. Even using an exterior source of magic must exhaust you. You must be as weak as a… well, a kitten by now."

Haru slowly stepped over to Baron and gently raised a hand to his back to support him. She could feel him shaking as he fought to retain his human-sized form.

"What do you want?" Baron demanded.

"Would revenge be too petty?"

"There's more. There has to be."

"Oh, really?" The Duke grinned. "I would have been quite happy knowing you were rotting away in that Creation prison, but then your little companion had to drag you back out of there. An impressive job, if I do say so myself, but somewhat against my wishes."

"If you had stuck around, perhaps you would have had the chance to air your feelings, and I mine," Haru snapped.

"See, that's the kind of fire that has kept you alive in the Bureau for so long," the Duke chuckled. "And after that failed, perhaps I thought that it'd be fine to wait for you to find me instead. And, when you did, it would only be a matter of time before Keightley discovered your true identity and added you to her fine collection. You would become caged, just like you caged Louise."

"That's what this is about," Baron said. "Isn't it? This is about Louise."

The Duke's playful expression soured. "Maybe it is. You took the only person I ever loved and locked her away all these years–"

"I loved her too!" Baron roared. "Do you think it was ever easy for me? I watched the Creation I was born to love, crumble away into a mockery of her true self. If I had let her go, who knows what damage the two of you could have caused? I didn't have a choice!"

Haru grabbed Baron's shoulder, holding him back. "Baron, please."

Breathing heavily, Baron calmed. Externally, at least. She could feel the anger still simmering away inside him. "Well, your plan failed. Again. Now what? All your cards are dealt, Duke."

The Duke only laughed.

"That's never good," Haru murmured. "I hate it when they do the evil laugh."

"All my cards are dealt?" the Duke echoed. "Oh, have you forgotten who I am, Baron? Have you forgotten the curse of being a cast-off Creation? I'm empty. I'm swimming with potential." He lunged for them, grabbing Haru's wrist and dragging her towards him.

Baron jumped for him, but a fresh wave of dizziness from the enchantment rolled over him. He staggered and nearly fell. "Please…"

"Oh, more of your pleasantries? I'm sorry, Baron, but all the pleas in the world cannot rescue her." The Duke laughed, and this time it was sharp. Cruel. "You took Louise away from me, and now I'll return the favour. Say goodbye to your sweetheart."

The Duke slipped his fingers against the skin of Haru's wrist. The cold contact sent Haru's mind reeling back to the last time she had encountered the Duke; albeit a parallel, past version of himself. The memory lasted only a moment before the Duke tore through her mind. From the contact, he drew in her memories, her life force, and left only pain in his wake.

"So much hurt," she could hear him crowing. "Your time with the Bureau hasn't left you unscarred, has it?"

Was she even hearing him? Or was she only hearing him through the mind of Baron? The scene shifted around her and now she was back in Baron's mind, away from the Duke. She was watching her body twitch as the Duke sapped her life from her bones, and Baron's grip on his spell was slipping. He was edging towards the Duke, torn between attempting to tackle the other Creation in his human-sized form, or giving up and shrinking back into his full-Creation form.

"Duke, whatever you want," she said – or was it Baron; it had to be Baron. Her mind was so muddled as it rocked between her head and Baron's. "Whatever you want, tell me. Just please… don't harm her. Don't harm Haru."

"Let's start with whatever is boosting your power," the Duke ordered. "Throw it to me and back away. Now! Unless you want me to drain your pretty little human dry of life immediately."

Baron fumbled in his inner jacket pocket and drew out the lapis lazuli. He tossed it down to the Duke's feet and, in the action, the human spell broke entirely. It reduced Baron to his foot-high form, shaking and vulnerable.

"Thank you, Baron."

' _No…_ '

The fog from Haru's mind shifted, just long enough for her to remember herself. The anger that had flared up so hotly before began to grow and stretch inside her, overpowering the pain of the Duke's transfer.

She snapped into action.

She tore her wrist away from the Duke, and turned on him with the pilfered gun in her other hand. She stared down the barrel at the face of the Creation. Physically, he had only taken one aspect of her – her brown, dark eyes.

And the Duke only smiled.

"My, my. What an interesting human you've picked. What do you think of this, Baron?" the Duke called. "The girl you've chosen has spunk after all."

"Don't test me," Haru growled. "You don't know what I'm capable of."

"Oh, but I do. I've been rootling through your mind, after all. You and I, Haru, are not that different after all. We'd both do anything to keep those we love safe." Again, he grinned with that same malicious spark. "You really do have the guts to carry it out, don't you? I can see it in your eyes."

"Haru, please…" Baron begged. "Don't shoot. You're not a killer."

Her shoulders were shaking, but her hands were strangely steady. And, as her shoulders shook, tears began to stream down her cheeks. "But I am," she sobbed. "First at Fenland House, and then with Mary… and now this…" She threw her head back towards Baron, barely able to see his small figure amid the tears clouding her vision. "I have to protect you, don't you understand? You and Michael and Hiromi and Muta and Toto… I have to keep you all safe."

"Not like this…"

"You can't always save the day, Baron," she cried. "I try to do my best, but sometimes things go wrong. You weren't there at Fenland House, and you were injured in the Fabricated World, and I had to do something. I can't always be like you, Baron! You always seem to find another way, but I… I'm scared."

The Duke chuckled, bringing their attention back to him. "Don't you see, Baron? Don't you see what you turn people into? Miss Haru, you'll never be like him, because you're human and whole. But him? He's shattered. He took the worst parts of himself and created _me_." A bitter growl crept into the Duke's voice as he spoke. "He'd never be able to pull the trigger because he, _literally_ , doesn't have it in him. Anything that could allow him to murder is in me. Isn't that right, Baron?"

Baron was silent as he unsteadily walked over to Haru's side. Haru could feel the frustration rolling off him at the limitations of his shrunken size. "Haru, please…"

"Please _what_ , Baron?" the Duke demanded. "Do you think that if she spares me, I'm just going to leave and that'll be that? No, this'll never be over, not as long as we both exist. You're lucky you have the human on your side; if it was just the two of us, this discussion would be long finished. This is what you turn people into, Baron. You don't dirty your own hands; you leave the bloody business for someone else to finish because you can't. Do you really think that makes you any less responsible? Do you think that makes you the hero?"

"Shut up," Haru whispered. "Just stop."

"Or what? You're going to shoot me? Go on. I can see you want to. You do, don't you?" the Duke taunted. "You want to finish me so that your little Bureau will be safe. Go on. Do what my better half never could. Shoot me."

Haru stared into those dark brown eyes, eyes stolen from her, and fingers flickered over the trigger. This was the person responsible for nearly breaking Baron in Cap's world. Perhaps next time he would succeed. Perhaps next time Haru wouldn't get there in time.

She dropped the gun to her side. "No."

"Wrong answer!" The Duke lunged towards her.

Haru jumped to the side, but the Duke continued to run. He grabbed his inanimate figurine form out of its cabinet and keyed in the code for the door.

"Thanks for everything, Miss Haru!" he called back. He threw a loose salute in her direction. "I'll be seeing you around!"

Haru started after him, but a small hand caught on her trouser leg. "Let him go, Haru."

"After all that? He has the lapis lazuli, and he's dangerous, Baron!"

"We've dealt with enough today. _You've_ dealt with enough. And we still have Catherine Keightley after us."

"Actually… I may have stranded her in the Wood Between Worlds," Haru admitted. She paused, and then added, "And I may have left Toto and Muta to the mercy of her guards."

"Then that is our priority."

Haru knelt down to face the familiar figurine form of Baron. "Hey, about what just happened…"

"Later, Haru."

She nodded and lifted Baron onto her shoulder, pausing a moment to regain her breath. Adrenaline was still supporting her, but she didn't want to still be in Keightley's museum when it ebbed. With the door unlocked, they were free to leave Hakamada's office, and it wasn't long before they came face-to-face with the aforementioned guards, as well as a couple of other familiar faces.

Haru threw her hands up in the air. "Unarmed!" she shouted. "We're unarmed!"

"Where is Miss Keightley?" demanded one of the guards. Haru recognised her as the same one who had found them earlier in the collection. Rikku, she believed she was called. "What did you do?"

"She's safe!" Haru shouted. "Please, if you let us take our friends with us, I'll send her back."

Rikku raised an eyebrow. "How can we trust you?"

"In the last hour, I believe Miss Keightley has broken far more promises than we have," Baron helpfully pointed out. "Despite what she has done, we mean her no harm. We will return her."

"I believe them," Tsuge said. "Come on, we want this to be over with as soon as possible. Just give them back their friends."

Rikku faltered. Evidently Keightley's willingness to break agreements wasn't a new development. She lowered her weapon. "Fine. Take your cat and crow and get out of here."

Haru grinned in relief and took Toto and Muta as they were handed over. "We'll send Keightley back as soon as we get there," she promised. With a little difficulty, she dropped a semi-free hand into her pocket and brushed a finger against the golden ring.

Suddenly they were transported back to the Wood Between Worlds. Haru dropped her passengers and went stumbling over to Keightley, who hadn't travelled far in the time Haru had left her. She was still devoid of memory, but that would be amended as soon as she returned to the Human World. Assuming that Keightley would be dropped off where she had been spirited away from, Haru guided her over to the Human World portal and stood her in the shallow waters of the pond.

Gently, she re-awoke the portal and it absorbed the elder woman into its depths.

The case was over.

Well, save from one more trip through the ponds and back into the Sanctuary.

Haru stood before the little side pond that marked the separate world of the Sanctuary, and gathered up the remaining strength of her magic. Keeping hold of the rest of the Bureau, she stepped into its depths and let it sweep them back home.

ooOoo

"What number am I thinking of?"

Baron smiled wanly. "Seven?"

"Nope. Two." Haru grinned back as she made the tea, stirring in Baron's newest batch. "Looks like that return portal home really did do the trick."

"Yeah. Thank goodness!" Muta collapsed down onto an armchair. "It's good to be back!"

"You're telling me, fatso."

"Well, I don't think we had it so bad," Haru said with a shrug. She tapped the teaspoon against the cup to jolt any last drops of tea, and handed the tea over to Baron. The Creation was, unusually occupying the sofa. "My head feels quite quiet now."

Baron's wan smile remained as he took the drink. "My thoughts exactly. It seems we shall have to communicate by traditional conversation now."

"I think I'll survive." Haru took a seat beside the Creation, holding a cup of tea for herself as she joined him. After a long moment, she leant softy against him. Softly enough that it was nothing more than a brush against his shoulder.

There was a pointed cough and Muta pushed himself back onto his paws. "I think I'm gonna hang out at the Crossroads. Perhaps someone'll actually feed me there."

"I'll check on the komainu," Toto said. "It's been a while since anyone's visited."

Haru glanced back just in time to see the balcony window and Bureau doors swing shut. "You think they'd be more subtle about it," she remarked after a moment. She turned back towards Baron. "Talking of traditional conversation, I think we should talk about what happened back there. You know, with the Duke."

"I know."

There was a silence as both searched for a way to start.

"Baron, I…"

"I'm sorry…"

They both paused, awkwardly waiting for the other to continue.

"I'll go first, otherwise I won't be able to keep the courage to say this," Baron said eventually. "Haru, I'm sorry. I should never have allowed the situation to have spiralled so far out of control."

"It wasn't you who was holding the gun," Haru murmured. "I was the one who lost control there."

"No. You only did what you felt was right in order to protect me. I pride myself on holding the higher moral ground, but the truth is, sometimes that puts other people in peril. Sometimes it's not enough." He paused, staring into the cooling waters of his tea "It seems that Cap was right."

Haru flinched at the words. "Don't say that. Please. Don't… Don't ever say that again."

"Everything the Duke said was correct, in his own way," Baron continued. "Haru, look at what the Bureau has turned you into. You are not the same person you were when you first arrived."

"People change," Haru said stubbornly.

"Are you sure you want to become what you're turning into?"

The question silenced whatever reply Haru could think of.

Gently, Baron lowered his tea, and curled his hand around Haru's.

"I just… want you safe," she whispered. She dropped her head onto his shoulders, hiding the tears that were welling up. "Because sometimes you do stupid, stupid things in order to save others, and it scares me. You nearly threw your life away at Mary's feet. Today you were willing to reveal your identity in an attempt to help Toto, and Muta, and me… I'm scared that one of these days, you won't make it out alive. And I can't imagine a life without you."

Hesitantly, Baron brought his free arm around Haru's shoulders and pulled her closer. He propped his chin against her head as he felt the shake in her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Haru. I never wanted to scare you."

"It's not that I want you to stop helping others," Haru murmured. "It's just… sometimes I wish you'd think of yourself, because you're important too. You're important to _me_."

"And you're important to me. Which is why I do stupid, stupid things sometimes. Because I have to protect you."

Haru gave a weak chuckle. "Look at the two of us. So hopeless." She buried her head into his shoulder, inhaling the comforting, homey scent. Her mind drifted over the memories of the last day, lingering nervously over the emotions she had sensed rolling off Baron. There had been so much anger, but so much of it was directed towards himself. For ever allowing the Duke to become the monster he was now. And fear, of his darker reflection. Fear of what he could have become.

But there was light, too. She hadn't missed the fierce affection he held for her. And he, she suspected, hadn't missed her own feelings that ran deep for him.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

"What are we to do?"

 **ooOoo**

 **Inspired by:** _ **Doctor Who: Dalek**_ **. Written by Robert Shearman.**

 _ **Star Trek (Next Generation): Attached**_ **. Written by Nicholas Sagan. Directed by Jonathan Frakes.**

 **Additional inspiration:** _ **Scooby Doo the Movie**_ **. Directed by Raja Gosnell. Written by James Gunn & Craig Titley.**

 _ **Shrek the Third**_ **. Directed by Chris Miller & Raman Hui. Written by Andrew Adamson.**

 **ooOoo**

 **Next story:** _ **The Refuge's Labyrinth**_

 **Teaser:** _ **"Michael, you have been so important to me in the last few years. You've kept me sane in the madness of the Bureau, been my anchor to the Human World, but… like you said, I just need space. From… everything, for a little while," Haru said. "You, the Bureau, everything." / "Baron–" Haru stumbled to a halt, the name dying on her lips. The feline raised her head and smiled thinly. "No. Not Baron, I'm afraid." / "She's in there," Baron breathed. "She's in Louise's painting…" / Haru stared down at the game board, one eyebrow raised. "Chess?" she asked. "How cliché." /**_ " _ **Do?" the Duke echoed. He tipped his hat forward to the Bureau in a greeting eerily reminiscent of Baron, and a Cheshire Cat grin spread slowly across his face. "There's only one rule in this game for you: Survive."**_


	13. The Refuge's Labyrinth (Part 1)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 13: The Refuge's Labyrinth (Part 1)**

As another day came to a close at the Paradise Pet Store, Haru found herself lingering at the office door where Michael marked out the day's finances. She watched silently as he worked, a gentle wave of affection flowing through her for the young man, but it was tempered by the conversation that waited on her tongue.

"You know, you can come in," Michael said, cheerfully. "I won't bite."

Wordlessly, Haru entered the office and pulled up a chair.

"So, what's the problem this time?" her boyfriend asked. When Haru looked surprised, he chuckled. "You've been looking like the world's ending all day. And since you've been standing at that door for the past five minutes, I assume you finally want to talk about it." He set aside the paperwork to focus his entire attention on the woman. "Is it the Bureau? Or is it something a little closer to home?"

"A bit of both."

"Halleluiah, she speaks," Michael laughed. "Sorry. That was tactless of me."

Haru smiled weakly. "Not at all. I could do with a little cheering."

"So what's happened? Is Baron doing okay? I know you were worried about him."

"He's doing much better, thanks."

Michael waited for her to continue and then, when it became obvious that Haru had grounded to a verbal halt, gently prompted her. "So if he's not what's worrying you, what is?"

"Do you think I've… changed?"

"Everyone changes, Haru."

"I know. But, being with the Bureau… I've had to make… decisions to protect those I love. And the decisions I've made haven't always been… easy."

"Like what happened back at Fenland House?" Michael softly offered.

Haru nodded.

"If… If you really don't like what you're doing, perhaps you should stop." Michael paused, waiting for the usual heated response to follow from Haru. But, this time, none came. "Not for good," he continued. "Not forever. Just to… clear your head. You know, give yourself some space to think things through."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

"I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just… trying to help."

"No, I know," she said. "But I was afraid you were going to say that because it's what I've been wondering for a while. And hearing you say it too just… makes it seem a lot more obvious."

Michael hesitated. "Haru, what exactly happened on the last case?"

"I nearly shot someone," she whispered. "He wasn't an immediate threat, but I knew he was going to try and hurt Baron again in the future. He's the reason Baron was sent away to Cap's world in the first place; the reason Baron almost broke before. And I just… I was just so angry and scared that I…"

Michael covered Haru's shaking hands with his own; a strange echo of Baron's own actions. "But you didn't."

"Only because Baron stopped me."

Michael had little to say to that.

"I think you're right. I think I do need space," she said. She withdrew her hands. "But… not just from the Bureau. I'm not sure I can handle being in a relationship right now."

His eyes dimmed, but there was no other response. And then he exhaled and nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," he repeated. "Sure. I get that."

"It's not that I don't like you," Haru said. "It's just… I don't know much of what I'm feeling right now. I need time to sort it out. Michael, you have been so important to me in the last few years. You've kept me sane in the madness of the Bureau, been my anchor to the Human World, but… like you said, I just need space. From… everything, for a little while."

"Me included."

"You, the Bureau, everything." Haru hesitated, and lifted her gaze from where she had been staring down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I'll find another job – I have some spare cash that should keep me going for a little while–"

"No, don't." Michael reached out to her, and then caught himself before he could make contact. "I'm not going to fire you just because we're no longer dating. You're a good worker, and you're great company. Even if you don't want a romantic relationship, we don't have to sever all ties, right? We can still be friends." He paused, and then gave a weak smile. "I can't believe I've just given the 'we can still be friends' speech right after you've effectively dumped me. That's new."

"If you don't think it'd be awkward–"

"Oh, it's going to be awkward, all right. But I think you've survived worse things."

"Thank you."

Michael smiled, a little of his usual humour reasserting itself even amid the sadness. "Would it make me a horrible human being if I admitted that it's easier to bear, knowing you're giving the Bureau the same treatment?"

Haru laughed feebly. "I don't think I can fault you for that."

"Have you told them the news yet?"

"No. They're not going to like it." Haru rose from her seat, but this time Michael did reach out and gently wrapped his hand around her wrist.

"To be honest, I've been waiting for this for a while," he said quietly, his earlier humour sinking away. "But I thought I would be dumped in favour of Baron. You love him, don't you?"

Haru froze, even as her heart galloped inside her chest. "I'm sorry."

ooOoo

As Haru let the Paradise Pet Store door swing close behind her, she found her feet grinding to a halt. The street was empty and so there was no one around to see her sag her weight against the wall, hands raised to her mouth as the tears began to stream down her cheeks.

' _What have I done? Have I just ruined the single stable thing in my life?_ '

She could go back. She still had time to undo her choice.

And yet, through everything, part of her was relieved. Michael had been right. She did need space… but not just from the Bureau. It wasn't merely a case of the Bureau vs. her human life. It was always going to end up as a choice between Baron and Michael.

Her hand dropped into her pocket and snagged on the tissue she had wrapped the ring in. She brought it out and laid it open on her palm, staring down at the unassuming piece of jewellery. To think that such a little thing could do so much.

She would take a short-cut. That would be fine, right? One last little luxury before she put her Bureau activities on an undefined hiatus. The street was deserted – all the shops had closed a good hour back – and, anyway, no sane individual would believe they had just seen a young woman vanish into thin air. That was the good thing about living in an age of science and scepticism – people were so quick to disregard the impossible.

The Sanctuary was its own little world, after all. It had a small pond in the Wood Between Worlds which she could jump into and it would take her straight to the Bureau's doorstep. Easy.

Just one more trip.

ooOoo

Michael watched Haru from where he stood inside the store. He didn't miss her abrupt disappearance, but he shook it off as a new gizmo or enchantment, courtesy of the Bureau. He wouldn't put it past their powers.

His gaze dropped down to the files he was meant to be filling out, and, unsurprisingly, any possible enthusiasm for the task had drained away with Haru's announcement. He pushed away the papers and rose to his feet.

Haru would reach the Bureau long before him, but that was no matter. It was really the rest of the Bureau who he needed to talk with. And, even if he wasn't sure how to reach the Sanctuary, he knew that a certain fat cat liked to linger at the Crossroads.

ooOoo

In the Wood Between Worlds, Haru pocketed the ring and waited for her memories to realign. The effects were becoming less pronounced each time, but she doubted the momentary disorientation upon arriving at the Wood Between Worlds would ever truly disperse. Stepping out of the Human World pond, she turned to the little side puddle that would direct her to the Sanctuary.

"This has to be the laziest I've ever been," she said aloud, trying to break the heavy silence of the Wood. She chuckled weakly and stepped towards the Sanctuary portal. "Can't even be bothered to walk to the Bureau, huh, Haru? Just imagine the teasing Muta's going to give you when he learns about this."

She smiled a little at the thought.

"I think I'll risk it."

She inhaled and stepped into the Sanctuary's pond. The Wood Between Worlds vanished as the portal dragged her down into the now-familiar between-dimension. Her surroundings turned dark and she was now falling towards the Bureau. The Sanctuary began to come into focus, but as her feet connected with the cobbled courtyard, the world abruptly spun. She felt heavy, as if her magic was suddenly transporting a passenger across worlds. A reflection of her dark brown eyes flashed before her, and then she was sent staggering as the world shifted again. She toppled sideways…

And was dropped down into the busy streets of the Crossroads.

"What–?"

A person bumped into her, throwing her off-balance.

"Hey!"

They carried on, and now another person sped by, his shoulder knocking into hers as he passed her. Haru stumbled and then, when a third person walked into her, she went stumbling into the pavement.

This… wasn't right. It was an early Tuesday evening when she left. And now… it was like rush hour on a weekend. It felt like mid-afternoon. Had she skipped time somehow in her leap through the portal? It had definitely spat her out in the Human World, and not the Sanctuary…

As she was fumbling back to her feet, she spotted something gold glitter on the ground.

The ring!

It had to have fallen out of her pocket in the fall. She lunged for it, but was knocked back by another person walking obliviously by. This really wasn't right. Even on a weekend, people weren't this mindless. She pushed herself back up, and this time elbowed her way through the crowd. She had to get to the ring… before someone else did and was accidentally transported away to the Wood Between Worlds.

Again, she leapt for the ring. Her fingers were inches away from reaching it when it… vanished.

Haru slammed into the ground, and now the Crossroads were silent. With the disappearance of the ring, the crowds had vanished too. Haru slowly rose back to her feet, absent-mindedly brushing the dirt off her freshly-acquired grazes as she gazed about the now-empty Crossroads.

"What… is going on?"

ooOoo

Michael arrived at the Crossroads and immediately realised a flaw in his otherwise brilliant plan.

The shops were closed. Ergo, no people. _Ergo_ , no Muta around to scrounge off the unsuspecting public. But, otherwise, it was a faultless plan.

He stood at the side of the square that was scarcely illuminated by bare minimum of street lamps, and surveyed the almost-empty plaza, save for a few people hurrying home after a busy day. It was hardly suitable for Muta's usual begging techniques.

"Genius," he muttered to himself. "Now what?"

For good measure, he strolled across the Crossroads once to make sure Muta wasn't occupied elsewhere, and then headed back along the street towards his home. It was a stupid idea anyway. What exactly was he going to talk to Baron about? Perhaps he had thought they could bond over mutually worrying over Haru. He had known something had been unsettling her, but still… this was a sudden leap.

He sighed, and his breath spiralled out in misty white before him. He pulled his hood up and trundled along the cold street towards home when a strange-looking archway caught his attention.

He paused, hands in pockets, as he regarded the stone arch.

That was new.

He lingered at the opening of the alleyway. From within the archway was situated a cobbled courtyard enclosed by miniature houses.

He had only been to the Bureau once, and that had been after the case with the General, after which he hadn't exactly been thinking straight. That was the case that he had accidentally been dragged along on and had quickly been required to come to grips with what Haru did in her spare time.

Since then, he had had little reason to return.

But, from what his memory could recall, that… looked very familiar.

He skimmed his gaze across the street, where people were continuing past him without a second glance at the strange archway. Was he the only one to see it? Or was he simply the only one stupid enough to have not noticed it before?

Well, whatever the answer was, he was not going to find it standing out there. He tugged his hood further over his head and walked through the archway.

ooOoo

Haru sped down the alleyway that lead toward the Bureau, becoming ever more unnerved as the midday streets remained strangely unoccupied. She should have bumped into another human by now. Heck, it would have been nice to have bumped into anything. The town was utterly deserted, lacking even the usual thrum of urban wildlife.

She pushed further along until she came to the archway that opened up into the Sanctuary. Sure enough, the familiar little courtyard of houses stood invitingly within, and she shrank down to a mere foot in height upon passing through the archway.

Toto's perch was empty, and Muta's usual seat outside was unoccupied, but the lights inside the Bureau were shining merrily. She pulled open the doors and went running towards the feline silhouette sitting at the desk.

"Baron–"

ooOoo

If Michael had any doubts that he was at the wrong place, they were immediately expelled when he saw Muta sitting outside a green-and-white house, reading through a newspaper of sorts.

Michael hesitantly stood before the cat, waiting to be noticed. When it became quite clear that Muta was either thoroughly oblivious or just thoroughly rude (Michael leant towards the latter) Michael gave a pointed cough.

The fat cat lifted his gaze, stared up at the human, and then went immediately back to flipping through his newspaper.

Yep. Definitely rude.

"Hey, Muta… Has Haru dropped by recently?"

"Nope. Sorry, kiddo."

Michael frowned. "Are you sure? She said she was coming to talk to you lot–"

"Chicky's not here, alright?" Muta paused, and then squinted up at the human. "How'd ya even get here, kid?"

"I… just found it," Michael said. He motioned towards the arch, but now the alleyway beyond it was quite different from the street he had originally entered from. "Wait… that's not the way I came…"

"Oh, holy mackerel." Muta leant back in his seat and hammered on the windows of the Bureau. "Oi, Baron! Get out here! Looks like the Sanctuary's going funky on us again!"

The Bureau doors opened and the Cat Creation stepped out. "One of these days you're going to break the windows, Muta," he noted, much to Muta's wide grin. Baron tipped his hat to their guest. "Greetings, Michael. What can I do for you today?"

"It's Haru."

As expected, that single name was enough to make the Creation pay close attention. "Is she hurt?"

"No… Not that I know of…" The awkwardness of the situation was beginning to creep up on Michael. He had been so sure that Haru had gone straight to the Bureau, and had been equally sure that he would make it here long after she arrived – if he managed to find his way here at all. He had never dreamed he would be the first one into the Bureau. "She said she was coming here, and I thought she would have made it here by now. She was in the street and she just… vanished…"

Muta snorted. "Really? She's using that ring for cheap shortcuts now? And she called me lazy…"

"Muta, that's quite enough," Baron warned. "If Haru had used the ring to transport herself into the Wood Between Worlds, she should have arrived here by now." He paused and came to the same query that Muta had reached earlier. "How did you find the Bureau, Michael?"

"I just walked past it while on my way home. Does the entrance usually move about or something?"

"Only on rare occasions," Baron answered. "The Sanctuary must have wanted you here, for some reason…"

"And what reason would that be?"

Muta snorted again, and this time lowered his newspaper. "What do ya think? Chicky's in trouble."

ooOoo

"Baron–" Haru stumbled to a halt, the name dying on her lips.

The feline raised her head and smiled thinly. "No. Not Baron, I'm afraid."

ooOoo

"In trouble?" Michael echoed. "What kind? You're going to do something, aren't you?"

"Of course," Baron said. "Do you have any of her belongings on you? I'm going to need to perform a tracking spell."

Michael shook his head.

"Fine. Toto, I need you to fly to Haru's apartment and pick up something of hers."

"This… tracking spell… Will it tell us where Haru is?" Michael asked.

"Geez, kid; did ya work that out all by yourself?"

"It should give us a vague indication of her current location," Baron replied. "Her magic and her time in the Bureau should make her signature unique enough to tell us whether she's in this world or another."

"And if she's not in this world?" Michael pressed. "What then?"

"Then we go after her."

ooOoo

Haru froze, staring at the feline Creation. She was identical to the painting in the Bureau, right down to the green dress and the pink cape draped around her shoulders. Even the green parasol sat against her chair, but there was something… strange about her form. Something seemed off; something almost seemed hazy about her.

"Louise?"

The Creation's smile widened. "Oh, so you do know of me. I am flattered."

Baron's fiancée was almost exactly as she had appeared in Cap's world. White-furred, graceful, and poised… save for the cold gleam in her blue eyes. Eyes that had watched through a war of the world and come out far from unscarred. Between her fingers she held a familiar stone, its interior opened slightly to cast a blue glow over her hands.

"That's the lapis lazuli. How do you have it?"

"A friend gave it to me." Louise's fingers played over the stone, and Haru could feel its magic flowing into the Creation. "The same friend who dropped you off here, so I believe."

"Dropped me off here?" Haru echoed. "What do you mean…?"

The Creation laughed. "Oh, you are a let-down, Miss Haru. I would have hoped that the human who had been accepted as part of the Bureau would be a little bit quicker. This is going to be just so boring." She glanced back to the shadows at the far end of the Bureau. "You told me she was smart, Duke."

Another form joined Louise, this time human and far too familiar, save for a top hat and cane. He dropped a companionable hand onto Louise's shoulder, while smiling widely at Haru. "I believe the term I used was 'interesting'. Hello again, Miss Haru."

"You."

"Articulate as always, I see."

"Where am I? This isn't the Bureau, is it?" Haru demanded.

"Ah, that depends on what your exact definition on the 'Bureau' is. Technically… yes. You are in the Bureau. Albeit your immediate surroundings are far from the Bureau you're familiar with." The Duke smiled. "Come on, dear; you know where we are, don't you? You must have figured it out from the moment you saw my charming companion. After all, my other self did such a _lovely_ job of trapping Louise away."

Haru inhaled abruptly.

Louise's painting.

Louise wasn't hazy. She was _blurred,_ like her features had been created by brushstroke. Exactly as if she had been created by brushstroke, in fact. Her blue eyes were beautifully created, but they did not match up to the gemstone-like quality that Baron's eyes contained. Like Louise's eyes had probably originally contained.

The whole world that they stood in maintained that same brushstroke quality, which Haru had failed to notice because there had been more pressing issues than examining the wallpaper.

"How are we here? What did you do?"

"Do you really think I took nothing from you in our last meeting?" the Duke asked. He motioned briefly to his eyes which were now as brown as Haru's. "Oh, sure, the eyes were a nice souvenir – I always like to have something physical to remind myself of those I've stolen from – but they're not exactly useful, are they? Not half as useful as your magic."

He smiled at Haru's horrified expression.

"Oh, I know, the magic is passive, but it's surprising what it can do. When I sensed you were jumping through a portal back to the Sanctuary I simply… nudged you a little bit. Pushed you over so you fell into the painting instead, and hijacked the ride." The Duke glanced round at the new surroundings. "I must say, I never expected the plan to work quite so perfectly."

"Yeah. Well, don't get used to it. I'm leaving." Haru turned just in time for the Bureau doors slam in her face.

"Have you forgotten where you are already?" Louise asked. "This is my home. I control everything that goes on in this place. Even the mimicry of the Human World where you first landed was my doing." She raised a hand, and Haru's golden ring was secured on Louise's finger. "You won't be going anywhere without this."

Haru froze. "If you have the ring, why can't you just leave now?" she asked. "Why wait here for me at all? What do you want?"

"The ring will not work for me," Louise replied. "Not since Baron placed an enchantment to stop my form from ever leaving the Sanctuary house he locked me away in. No, I must be far more inventive if I ever want to see the true light of day again."

"What do you want?" Haru hissed.

"I want to place a bet, Miss Haru. You see, I cannot leave with this ring… but you can."

"You want to place a bet like the Duke did with Hakamada."

Louise smiled. "Indeed. The acquisition of a human body cannot be easily made without the use of magic that requires an agreement of sorts between the two parties. So let's play a game… If you lose, we switch bodies, and if I lose then I will return the ring."

"What's to stop me from just taking it right now?" Haru demanded.

As soon as the threat left her lips, the Bureau around them groaned. The lights dimmed and shadows began to ooze down from the ceiling, like tar. "Tell me, Miss Haru; how exactly do you plan on overcoming a whole world pitted against you? You have made it this far in my world through my good graces; don't test them now."

Haru swallowed nervously and stepped away. The Bureau settled back into its usual appearance, but Haru could sense the magic coursing through the air. "So what is the game?"

"Oh, be patient. Not all the players have arrived just yet."

"Players? You don't mean–"

"Who else?" the Duke laughed. "The Cat's Bureau can be just so predictable. I expect they'll be dropping in any time now…"

ooOoo

Michael squinted into the Bureau through the upper balcony windows, watching Baron work at the tracking spell. Toto had returned with a much-loved scarf of Haru's, which had shimmered like a disco ball until the light rose up and focused solely on a single picture.

"A painting?" Michael didn't bother to hide his scepticism. "Are you sure it's working?"

"I hope not," Toto muttered.

"It is," Baron said, although there was no triumph in his words. "She's in there…"

"It's… a painting," Michael repeated. Clearly he was missing something here. "Is… Is this like what happened at the Guertena gallery? Is there another world in it? But you've dealt with this sort of thing before–"

"No. It's not as simple as that," Baron said.

Toto hopped over to his fellow Creation. "We can't go in there, Baron," Toto said. "If we do…"

"I know."

"Well, I don't," Michael snapped. "What is this place?

"This is where I kept my… kept another Creation trapped," Baron eventually answered. "I placed a spell so that she would never be able to escape. However, the world of the painting is filled with Creation potential. As the longest inhabitant and a Creation, Louise can manipulate everything inside."

"And… you just have it hanging up in the Bureau…" Michael muttered. "So, Haru's in there?"

Baron nodded. "I don't know how. She would never have entered it willingly…"

"Yeah, but we can't just leave Chicky there. Who knows what your crazy ex would do to her."

"She's your _what_?" Michael demanded.

"Things… are complicated," Baron said slowly. He waved a hand through the tracker spell, and the magic dissipated, flowing back into him and Toto. "Please, our main priority is finding Haru. She could be in grave danger."

"Eh, one question, Baron: How are we gonna get out of there? Getting in is easy, but ya made it pretty difficult to escape. We're running out of time."

Baron hesitated, one hand already reaching out to the portrait. "I don't know. I could arrange for a portal crystal, but that would take too long to set up. We'll have to figure out a way back once we've found Haru."

"Well, count me in."

The Bureau paused and, almost as one, turned to Michael. "Are… you quite sure about this?" Baron asked. "I have just admitted that I have no plan for our escape. This is foolhardy even for us."

"Haru's in danger, right?"

"To be fair, Chicky's in danger most of the time."

"So you're going to need as much help as possible," Michael continued. "Look, I know I'm not one for these kinds of adventures, but I care for Haru as much as any of you. Let me help."

Toto and Muta looked to Baron. Baron smiled and bowed his head respectfully. "Then welcome aboard, Michael." He laid his hand flat against the painting and magic began to swirl across the canvas. "I must warn you, again, that Louise can control everything inside. It will probably seem a lot larger on the inside, and could be anything. You may be about to see another world, or another time entirely. I cannot tell. Are you ready?"

Nervousness crept into Michael's eyes, but he nodded. "Okay."

ooOoo

Haru stared down at the game board, one eyebrow raised. "Chess?" she asked. "How cliché."

"Oh, there's a twist," Louise promised.

Haru waited for further elaboration. And then, when none came: "Oh, come on. You can't just say that and leave me hanging. Twist? Twist how?"

"Play, and you'll see."

"I see that Baron isn't the only one who picked up a dramatic streak," Haru replied flatly. "Okay. So… I'm the white pieces, right? So I go first?"

Louise motioned smoothly to the board. "Choose your first move."

Haru raised her other eyebrow and slowly moved an unassuming pawn two spaces forward.

ooOoo

"This doesn't look so bad." Michael slowly pushed himself back to his feet after the bumpy ride into the painting's world. "I was expecting something a little bit less… ordinary, if I'm to be honest. Glad it isn't," he added, "but still… this is a little weird."

The Bureau gathered themselves and took stock of their surroundings. Upon entering the portrait, the world had dissolved away and reconstituted itself into a surprisingly accurate recreation of the Crossroads.

"It's a front," Baron said. He stood, and he was now several inches taller than Michael. The only one to not receive a human-sized upgrade was Toto, who took a perch on Baron's shoulder. "Designed to lull us into a false sense of security. Remember, Louise can manipulate this miniature world at will; our surroundings could change at any moment."

Michael turned to Baron, and then leant away when he suddenly found Baron's eyes on level with his own. "So how are we going to find Haru?"

"Looks like we won't have to." Muta pointed a paw across the plaza. "Chicky's found us."

In a rush of flapping coat tails and blur of brown hair, Haru sprinted across the Crossroads and flung her arms around a rather surprised feline Creation. "Baron! You're here!"

Baron pulled away from her, chuckling weakly. "Is that really such a surprise?"

"That was surprisingly easy," Muta muttered. "Can we go home now?"

"Hopefully. Haru, do you still have the portal ring on your person?" Baron asked.

"No. Louise took it–"

"Then we'll have to take it back."

"Are you crazy? I barely got away myself and–"

"That is a very good point." Baron's expression turned steely and, taking Haru's shoulders, he firmly put some distance between them. "Exactly how did you escape?"

ooOoo

Now was not a good time for Haru to remember that it had been many years since she had last played even a single game of chess. It was one of those games that she, in theory, knew the rules to, but was far from what anyone would call an expert. Perhaps she should have asked for another game. She doubted Louise would have listened though.

"Take your turn, Miss Haru."

"I'm thinking!" Haru snapped. "Don't get your tail in a twist."

She hovered her hand over the knight on the king's side, trying to work out whether jumping it over the pawns was a good move or something she should avoid.

As her fingers brushed over the wooden piece, she received a sudden image and swirl of emotions. She saw her own face, but scared and staring up, while a potent mixture of hope and fear battled inside the person.

Her hand shot back.

She recognised the feel of that mind. She had spent a good hour sharing his thoughts in their last case.

"What is this?"

"This is our little twist, my dear," the Duke said. "What? Did you think your life was going to be the only stake here?" He leant down and picked up the knight. Haru reached out for it, abruptly protective of the piece, but the Duke only held it away. "Ah, ah, ah. My, what manners you've picked up with the Bureau. Your father would be ashamed."

"As if you would know," Haru snarled. "What is this? What have you done?"

"We thought we'd make the game a little bit more interesting," he answered. "You see, the moment your friends entered this world, Louise here bound their each of their fates to a single chess piece on the board."

"You can't do that."

"Oh, but I can," Louise said. "My house. My rules. What I want, goes."

"What happens if one of their pieces are taken?"

"What do you _think_ , Miss Haru?" the Duke asked.

"Then I can't do this. I can't play with their fates on the line." She rose abruptly from her seat and, to her surprise, neither of the Creations tried to stop her. She halted halfway across the room, thoroughly unnerved by their lack of response. "What? What is it?"

"Do you really think you can just refuse to play?" Louise asked. Her voice rose, as if biting back laughter at Haru's ignorance. "Do you think you can really just toddle out there and find the Bureau so easily? Everything in this house is controlled by me. The only way you'll ever see your friends again is if I wish it. Leave, and you and your friends will be wandering, lost in this world, forever."

"I can't do this," Haru repeated, quieter this time. She turned back around to face the two Creations, fear clear on her face. "I can't risk being the ones responsible for hurting them."

"Then you better make sure you play carefully," the Duke replied. He held out the knight. "Their lives depend on you."

Haru took back the knight and held it tightly in her hands.

' _Of course Baron would be the knight. What other piece would he be?_ '

"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked hoarsely. "Any other surprises to trip me up along the way? Please, fill me in now. What else have you done to make this game more 'interesting'?"

Louise smiled. "The Bureau may find that they encounter a few old foes in their time here," she said, still smiling sweetly. "Their interactions will depend on the play of the game – and their fates on which pieces are lost. Of course, you and I are also on the board…" A single hand passed over the king. "Lose yourself, and you lose the game."

Haru's eyes flickered to the Duke. "And what about you? Or are you only a spectator here?"

"Oh, I'm on the board too. We had to make it fair somehow, didn't we?" the Duke answered.

"It's not fair," Haru retorted. "Now I'm not only protecting the king, but three other pieces as well!" She halted in her tirade suddenly, a terrible thought passing through her mind. "If… I lose… what happens to the Bureau?"

"Oh, no harm will come to them, don't you fret. The only casualty will be you. But don't go getting any funny ideas; I'll only promise not to harm them as long as you play the game."

The Duke smirked. "Oh, don't worry about that. Her instinct to survive is too strong for such petty tactics. She'd much rather hold the gun than jump before the bullet. Isn't that right, Miss Haru?"

"Shut up… please."

"Really?" Louise looked back to Haru with renewed interest. "And my old fiancé has taken you in as a Bureau member? How the times have changed. Duke, I believe you should be leaving to check on our newest guests," she added, glancing over to the now-human Creation. "They're going to need a few things explained."

She waved a hand and the Duke disappeared – to the Bureau, Haru could only guess. She looked back to her opponent, one hand still rested on the lapis lazuli.

"Now, I believe it's time we continued our little game."

ooOoo

Haru's expression crumpled. "What? Baron, it's me… Please, you've got to believe me."

Michael grabbed Baron's wrist, breaking the Creation's tight grip on Haru. "What are you doing?" he yelled. "Hasn't she been through enough already?"

Baron shook Michael away, but a little of his initial coldness had melted away. "I'm sorry, Haru, but we have to be wary. Please, tell us. How did you escape from her?"

Haru looked wide-eyed at Baron's uneasy attitude, but she started talking regardless. "Louise tricked me into a game – she promised me that if I won, I would get the ring back, but she lied. She let me go, though. Perhaps because she thought I would lead you back to her – which is why we can't go back! You'll be walking right into a trap!"

"If Louise wanted us at her doorstep, she would have made it so upon our entry into this house," Baron replied. "It makes no sense. Why would she do this?"

There was laughter from across the Crossroads. "Have you taken so long to realise the truth, Baron? Or do you need me to spell it out for you? Louise is playing a little game with you all."

At the Duke's appearance, Baron moved swiftly between him and Haru, one arm spread out protectively. The Duke only laughed.

"How predictable. You suspect she is a trick, and yet you still can't stop yourself from trying to protect her. When will you learn?"

"Tell me what's happening," Baron growled.

"Oh, you and your companion are just like broken records." The Duke paced the far end of the Crossroads, and something in his swagger warned Baron that there would be no use in trying to take him down. "'What is this?' and 'What's going on?' Can you just… give it a rest with all the questions? It's so _boring_."

"Yeah, well, some of us ain't filled in," Muta retorted. He shuffled over to Baron. "If it's just him, I think we can take him," he whispered.

"I told you, Louise is in control," Baron replied. He raised his gaze back to the other Creation. "So what is this game? What do we have to do?"

"Do?" the Duke echoed. He tipped his hat forward in a greeting eerily reminiscent of Baron, and a Cheshire Cat grin spread slowly across his face. "There's only one rule in this game for you: Survive."

He vanished.

"Why is it always a game?" Muta whined, breaking the long silence. "Why do they _always_ want to play a death-defying game? Why can't it just be checkers, or noughts-and-crosses? Why does this always happen to us?" He wrinkled his nose and looked down at Haru. "He didn't even tell us if you were the real deal."

"I am," Haru retorted. She hesitated, and then added, quieter, "I think."

"Who was that guy?" Michael asked. He had one arm around Haru's shoulders, keeping her close in case Baron became paranoid again. "What kind of grudge does he have against you?"

"That was the Duke," Baron replied. "Haru may have mentioned him to you."

"The _Duke_? As in, your alter-ego or something?"

"I see Haru has indeed mentioned him."

"Perhaps we should discuss this later," Toto said. "Right now, I'm more wary of the Duke's final words. If the game is to survive, then there's going to be something – or quite a few somethings – after us. I'm of the mind that that should be our first priority."

A howl split through the air.

"Like… perhaps… that?" Michael pointed towards a shadow moving swiftly towards them. "What is that?!"

"At a guess, I'd say hungry," Baron replied. He slipped his hand into Haru's and started a sprint in the opposite direction. "Run!"

ooOoo

Haru stared down at the chessboard with sickening despair. Already many of her pawns had been sacrificed for the sake of the other pieces, and now her knight was being threatened by one of Louise's rooks.

She had discovered the rest of the Bureau. Toto was the king-side rook – given the pun, that was unsurprising – while Muta was the queen-side bishop. And Michael… was the other knight. The knight under threat, to be exact.

Her fingers danced over the board, her heart dropping upon discovering Michael. What was he even doing here? He wasn't made for the world of Creations and catastrophes. Had she dragged him, once again, into danger?

"What's the matter?" Louise teased. Her feline smile stretched shamelessly across her face. "Struggling? If you're so worried about that particular piece, you could always save it by sacrificing the other knight. It's all a matter of priorities."

"Take a running jump."

"Now, now, be civil. It's only a game."

"Maybe to you," Haru muttered. Her fingers played over the pieces, pausing by her queen. There was something strange about that piece. By all logic, it should have been as empty as the pawns that she had already sacrificed, but when she made contact she saw through someone's eyes. Just like she did when she touched the knights, or the other Bureau pieces. "What's with the queen? Something's not right…"

Louise smiled. "Oh, I thought you'd never ask…"

"Well? Are you going to tell me?"

"Nope." The Creation chuckled loosely at her own response. "But I'll tell you one thing – you really don't want to lose that piece. Now, it's time to decide – what are you going to do about the rook that's threatening your precious knight?"

Haru ignored Louise, and cast her hand over the board, brushing a finger over the rook that was threatening Baron's knight.

Suddenly she was seeing through the eyes of a beast. A long, hairy snout protruded from its face, giving Haru more than enough information to know it wasn't human. It was running – racing – after the familiar forms of the Bureau… and Michael. They appeared to be fleeing through the town – the same false town she had been dropped into. Were they also in Louise's portrait? That would explain her ability to link their fates to the chess pieces.

Haru moved her hand away even as she heard the snarl of a beast she believed was long dead.

Old foes, Louise had said.

As she broke contact with the rook, the images and sounds faded away, but it was enough.

"How… How are you doing this?" she rasped. "How do you even know about Stapleton?"

"Have you already forgotten my companion?" Louise asked. "He didn't just copy your eyes and magic, my dear. He also feeds on memories…"

"No…" The Duke had the whole of her Bureau experience to pick from. Every danger, every hurt, every thing they had gone through were now possibly running around the world Louise had created. Old foes, indeed. "You can't–"

"Oh, but I can." Louise's eyes sparkled with mirth. "The werewolf was an interesting option, but perhaps I should choose a danger more personal? I could always change the piece's form around." She considered this, smiling brightly, and then added, "Well, maybe later. Let's leave the Bureau running from this Stapleton a little longer. It should bring up some fond memories…"

Scowling, Haru moved Michael's knight away, leaving a pawn behind for the taking. As the knight moved across the board, she saw through his eyes… including an abrupt change of scenery. Suddenly Michael was standing in a familiar, dimly-lit corridor.

"What?"

ooOoo

The Bureau skidded around a corner and suddenly the howls following them died away. They collided into a halt, with Muta almost knocking Baron over as he slammed into the back of his legs.

"Is it gone?" Toto whispered, landing on Baron's shoulder.

Baron glanced back around the corner, despite his better instincts. However, much to his luck, the street was bare. "I think so."

"How… can it just… vanish?" Muta gasped. He slumped down onto the pavement, heaving for breath. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"Louise's world. Louise's rules," Baron said. He looked over to Haru, reassurance simmering in his stomach to see her still by his side. "We should keep moving before–" His brain did a sudden headcount and came to the ugly conclusion that they were missing someone. "Michael. Where's Michael?"

Haru blinked slowly. "What's happened to him?"

"We've lost the kid?"

"Baron, you don't think…?" Toto started.

"No. Stapleton didn't take him," Baron said. "I fear this is more Louise's doing. She must have spirited him away."

"But we'll find him again, won't we?" Haru asked. Her grip on his hand tightened, and Baron felt a flurry of instinctive protectiveness for the young woman.

He glanced to her, something unreadable in his eyes. "Sure, Haru. Let's keep on moving."

ooOoo

"Oh, did I not mention?" Louise laughed. "Sometimes you'll change the location of your friends upon moving their respective pieces. Don't worry; it's not the places they have to fear. It's the monsters that lurk there…"

Haru's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "This really is just a game to you, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Life is a game, my dear."

"Spare me the platitudes." Her mind returned to the shadowy hallway she had momentarily seen Michael dropped into. If the monsters were from her memories, there could be no doubt the locations were also. In which case, she knew exactly where Michael had been left.

She already knew what another of the monsters were. She just had to hope Michael didn't encounter it.

She moved Muta's bishop across the board, taking out the rook that had threatened Michael. Her first high-value enemy piece taken, removing Stapleton from the picture. But, in the process, she had sensed Muta's surroundings change around him – dropping away into a selection of familiar, bland corridors.

Now, only Baron and Toto were left together. And even that would be broken soon.

 **ooOoo**

 **Teaser: _"This ain't possible," Muta murmured. "You're dead." / "Hello." Mary laughed, her rosy cheeks dimpled with a smile. "I want to play a game." She held out the roses into the air, spinning them round in her hands. "It's called, Which Flower Should I Pick?" / "Louise!" Baron roared. "I've had enough of your tricks and games! You've had your fun! Come out!" / Louise stalked over to where Baron was caught, grabbing his chin to meet his gaze. "Haru, I know you're watching, so watch well. It's time to make your decision. Which knight will you save?" / "Just out of curiosity, who do you think she saved?" Louise asked. "You? The reckless figurine who left her in this lurch? Or the human she abandoned to run into the world of magic and mystery?" / "Save me." / "Please, come back to me… I'm sorry… I love you…"_**


	14. The Refuge's Labyrinth (Part 2)

_The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 **ooOoo**

 **Episode 14: The Refuge's Labyrinth (Part 2)**

Michael picked himself up off the carpeted floor, his stomach plummeting upon seeing his new environment. There was no mistaking the silent hotel corridors, the dark moorland situated beyond the windows.

"Haru? Baron?" His call echoed off the walls, to no reply. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting. It was clear from the moment he arrived that he had come alone. He tried anyway. "Muta? Anyone?"

Green flickered across the far wall. A shadow moved where there should be none, sending shivers running up his spine. Something was out there. And it was watching.

ooOoo

"Time is ticking, my dear."

Growling, Haru stared down at the board, swallowing back the sickening nerves. A bishop was looming towards Michael's knight, while one of Louise's knights was dangerously close to Muta's bishop. Baron's knight and Toto's rook were in no immediate danger, but she didn't doubt that would soon change.

For now, she moved an empty bishop forward, keeping her companions out of harm's way for another turn.

ooOoo

"More empty corridors?" Muta grunted. He was starting to talk to himself in the silence of the hallways. If he had caught anyone else talking to themselves, he would have teased them endlessly, but there was something reassuring in the sound of one's own voice. Anything to escape the fact that he recognised these corridors.

True, it had been two years since he had walked along these floors, but the memory was yet to fade. Here, Haru had almost been changed permanently into a half-cat monstrosity. Here, a whole world had been locked away after their narrow escape.

"I would've hoped Louise would've come up with something a bit more imaginative," Muta muttered. He had grown to a more human-size in his arrival here, which somehow did not ease the nerves he would not admit he had. "Anyone could've created empty corridors."

There was a sudden echo of footsteps that were definitely not his own. He paused, abruptly regretting his careless words.

"I had to open my big fat mouth…"

The stranger was approaching from behind, their footsteps echoing along the pale corridors.

Muta didn't look back.

"This ain't possible," he murmured. "You're dead."

There was an unsettlingly-familiar laugh. "As you can see, that is clearly not the case."

Muta turned enough to see the strange outline of the newcomer step into the light. The silhouette was somewhat human-shaped, but not enough to dispel the uncanny valley aura. His form shimmered strangely as white scales along his skin caught the light, while his face was shadowed by the mane that flowed from his head and down his back. This was a chimera of creatures, bound together in the form of a human.

"You're dead," Muta echoed. "Prendick killed you. You can't be here, Doctor."

Doctor Moreau laughed, spreading out his arms to highlight his being. He stood as solidly as the first day Muta had seen him. "Does that really matter? This is a world of possibility. What difference does it make if I'm alive or not? I'm real here, right now."

"I guess not," Muta admitted. He turned, slowly, to face the man, if Doctor Moreau could even be called that. "Cause I'm still gonna kick the living snot outta you."

He swung a fat paw towards the Doctor's face, but the man hadn't acquired his animalistic qualities for nothing. Moreau twisted out of the way with feline ease, sidestepping the attack with both hands still tucked behind his back.

"Are you sure you want to be so hasty?" Moreau tutted and effortlessly avoided Muta's next punch. "After all, I have yet to send a single throw back at you." He caught Muta's paw as it came flying towards his face, his hand curling around Muta's fist. Claws dug into Muta's white fur until they drew blood. "We don't have to be enemies. Trust me, you do not wish me for a foe."

Muta's eyes widened just as he spotted the heavy punch that Moreau delivered into his gut. He doubled over, wrenching his paw out of the Doctor's grip, and fell a few steps back.

He slowly stood back to his full height, rubbing at his stomach gingerly. "And Birdbrain says that fat doesn't have any use," he chuckled. "I'd like to see _him_ take a hit like that. Yeah, you heard that right!" he roared. "Is that all you've got? Come at me!"

Moreau's gaze was, at first, curious, and then that curiosity translated into a dangerous smile. "Come, come, Muta; there's really no need to fight. Why, perhaps I could even help you."

"Help me?" Muta echoed sceptically. "Yeah, right. How could a crackbrain like you help anyone?"

The Doctor fished a small vial out of his pocket and raised it for the white cat's inspection. "You remember this, don't you?"

Of course he did. But that vial was long gone – Baron had smashed it into a million pieces when Moreau had offered it to the Creation. The vial Moreau now held had to be nothing more than an illusion – much like the Doctor himself.

Muta scoffed. "Yeah, thanks but no thanks. This is just another trick, ain't it?"

"No tricks." Moreau smiled that same smile he had given Baron. It was a proud smile, confident that all his work, all his research had finally come to fruit "This is the real deal. This is your chance to become human."

"What makes ya think I wanna be human?"

"You were human once, were you not?"

Muta momentarily wondered how this Doctor Moreau knew of such facts, especially since the original had been – as far as he was aware – utterly oblivious to Muta's past. But the question was fleeting, quickly passed aside in favour of a smirk. "Yeah, and?"

"What?"

"Ya heard me. And? So what?"

"You were human once… Don't you want to be again?"

"And go back to that world of taxes and mortgages and boring, human jobs? Nah. I'm think I'm good. But thanks for thinking of me." Muta almost laughed at Moreau's expression of bafflement. "You've got the wrong cat. If you want to tempt humanity, you should talk to Baron instead. Perhaps you'll have better luck this time around."

"But… what about your family? Your friends? Don't you want to be a proper godfather – the one you promised Naoko you would be?"

ooOoo

Given Muta and Michael's sudden disappearances, Baron wasn't entirely surprised when his surroundings changed. What did surprise him, however, was the fact that Haru shifted locations alongside him.

Her grip on his hand tightened, and she edged closer towards him. "Where are we?"

Baron turned to examine the blue walls lining the corridor around them, and then his gaze dropped to an orange rose that he appeared to be holding. A quick glance to Haru told him that she was also holding a blossom – the same lilac flower from the _Fabricated World_.

"Oh dear."

ooOoo

At Moreau's words, Muta's form stilled.

Sensing the change, Moreau stepped forward, the vial still in his hand. "It's not too late, you know," he coaxed. "You can go back to your old life. There's still time to right the wrongs…" He trailed off as Muta's shoulders began to shake.

When Muta turned around, it was clear he was holding back laughter. "You… really know nothing, don't you?" The chuckle died away, but a dangerous humour filled his dark eyes. "I ain't the kind of cat you can guilt-trip, moron. Especially not over Chicky. Haven't ya seen the woman she's become? I couldn't be prouder of her – and now I'm back in her life. I wouldn't change a thing." He paused, and then smiled again. "'Cept maybe to give her old man a punch or two to make him buck up his ideas. But, since he ain't here, I guess you'll have to do."

ooOoo

Haru took Louise's knight with her bishop, momentarily seeing through Muta's eyes long enough to see the huge white cat knock out the late Doctor Moreau with a hefty blow. As Moreau slammed into the floor – and as his knight piece was taken – his form dissolved away until nothing remained of the Doctor.

She resisted the urge to punch the air with joy, and settled on smirking Louise's way instead.

"Your turn, I believe."

Louise looked unaffected by the loss. She simply moved her bishop towards Baron's piece. "Chess is all about sacrifice, my dear. One cannot play without some form of loss." Bright blue eyes glanced over at Haru, calm assurance heavy in her gaze. "The only real question is, who will you sacrifice in the end?"

"I told you to stop with the platitudes," Haru muttered. Her previous smugness had already been swept away by Louise's indifference. She brushed a nail by her queen, and again was granted a glimpse through the eyes of someone standing beside Baron. She had come to realise the identity of the queen a while back in the game, but disbelief had kept her questions in check.

"Louise, the queen…"

"Hm?"

"Who is it?"

"Who do you think it is?"

"It's me." She moved her hand away, as the sensation of looking through her own eyes – but not her eyes, not really – unsettled her. "I'm right, aren't I? But how can that be me? I can't be in two places at once."

"Can't you?" Louise asked. "My house. My rules," she repeated. "If I can create foes from your memories, what's to stop me there?"

"You mean… she's who I think I am?"

"Not quite." The Duke reappeared, coming over to inspect the gameplay so far. "I suspect a little of Louise's perceptions may have been mixed up in your creation."

"I couldn't have her developing a mind of her own," Louise muttered.

"No," the Duke agreed. "So, she's not your perfect double, but she's good enough to fool your Baron, apparently."

"He would recognise it wasn't me from the moment he saw her," Haru snapped.

"Why don't you look through his eyes and find out? Or, even better, look through your double's eyes and see the way he looks at her."

Glancing uneasily at the two Creations, she dropped a hand back down to her queen. To her own piece, apparently. The scene before her eyes changed to that of a familiar set of coloured walls, blurred as her double fled along them. Before her, Baron was running, his gloved hand curled around the other Haru's. A quick glance behind her showed that they were being pursued by the dragging portraits of Red Ladies.

Her other self looked back ahead, to see Baron glancing back to check she was still okay. The expression he bestowed upon her was one of worry and protectiveness. An expression she was familiar with on many a case.

She removed her hand, breaking the contact.

"You see?" the Duke prompted. "Do you see how easily he replaces you? You humans are all the same, after all."

"Are you saying that I should be jealous?" Haru murmured. She raised her gaze to the Creation and smiled. "Hurt? By what? I don't believe he's been fooled for a moment, but he's still there, still protecting her. Still helping. That was something I feared had been broken out of him by Cap," she whispered. "I'm glad to see that's not the case."

"You're glad to see he's protecting your double? Your imposter?" the Duke asked.

"Baron can't leave anyone to their fate," Haru replied, her smile growing. "That's just who he is. It's part of what I love about him. His heart."

The Duke scoffed and turned away. "Fine. We shall see how well his heart holds out in Louise's world. After all, his heart is what has almost killed him multiple times." His expression of disgust gave way to a smirk. "Slip up on your little game and perhaps it'll kill him for real this time."

"I won't let that happen."

"We'll see."

As the Duke turned away to head back out, Haru called, "What about the queen?"

"What about her?"

"If I lose her…"

He paused, and then turned back to face her. A Cheshire Cat grin threatened to swallow up his entire face. "Oh, that took more time than I thought. It's like you were told earlier – all fates are linked to their respective pieces. So what do you think happens if your queen – your piece – is taken?

"So I lose my body if I lose either my queen or my king?" Haru breathed.

"I'm afraid so. It makes things a little bit more interesting, don't you think? Oh, don't worry – Louise has the same disadvantage. Take her queen and you can end the game early. Of course," he added, "I never said that was going to be any easier."

He turned away, waving as he went.

"Farewell. I would stay, but I have an old friend to meet up with. Enjoy your little game."

ooOoo

Michael skidded through into the next room and slammed the doors behind him. The wide dining hall of Fenland House was set before him in the exact details he had last seen it. Large windows overlooked the haunting moorland, while the remains of a buffet was set out by the kitchens. Phantom food, probably. This whole place was like a phantom.

The puca, too, probably. But Michael was in no hurry to test out just how phantom that particular aspect was.

It had come running for him, briefly, but that had passed. It had drifted away as if it had lost interest, but, again, Michael was in no hurry to test that out. He pulled up a chair – he had done far too much running today – and fished out his phone from his pocket.

No signal. Obviously.

It had been worth a try. Not that he knew who he would have called, had he had signal. Haru, maybe? But he doubted that wherever she was in this maze of a world would allow signal, so that was null and void anyway. And it wasn't as if any of the rest of the Bureau had phones. Gramophones, he suspected, but not the more portable type.

What he really needed was to get back to the rest of the group. Asking to come along to help had seemed like a good idea when they were together, but he wasn't cut out for this like the Creations. Or even like Haru. He liked his shop and his mundane life, and being chased by shape-shifting monsters… _again_ … was not what he had had planned for today.

Then again, getting dumped by Haru, and then losing Haru to the painting where Baron kept his apparently crazy ex-fiancée was also neither on that list.

Michael admitted defeat with his phone and stashed it back away into his pocket, rising from his chair in time to see a flurry of green mist squeeze its way beneath the dining hall door.

He froze.

It wasn't his best move – in fact it had all the tactical strategy of a rabbit halting mid-street with an oncoming 4-by-4 charging towards it – but, in his defence, he was still somewhat new to this world of monsters and magic.

The mist reconstituted and took on the form of Haru.

And stood across the room.

Watching.

ooOoo

"Careful, my dear. You're putting your queen-side knight into a risky situation." Louise's fingers danced over the bishop that was chasing after Michael's knight. "One false move could cost you your piece." She slid the bishop across the board, again threatening to take the knight in the next move. "Take your turn."

ooOoo

Michael was in no danger of mistaking the puca for Haru.

He was in plenty of other danger, but getting that creature mixed up with Haru was not one of them. For one, it made no effort to hide its fangs and, for another, it simply stood and stared from across the room.

Eventually, Michael's feet unglued themselves from the floor and he stumbled back, towards the other door out of the dining hall.

The moment he did so, something clicked in the puca's mind. Instinct – or something, anyway – whirred into action, and the creature sprung after him.

Its footsteps were closing in.

Another moment, and its breath was catching on his neck.

He skidded around a corner and nearly slipped. There was some windmilling of arms and abrupt curses, and he regained his balance just in time to avoid the clawed hand sweeping his way.

He didn't look back. Partly because he didn't want to see Haru's face torn in half by the killer smile, but mostly because looking back would probably involve tripping.

He spun round another corner and thought to mention it to Haru – if they both got out of this alive, anyway – how much running there was on these Bureau cases. He had taken it for granted, but never quite faced the reality so much as he was right now. No wonder she kept in shape.

A claw caught into his jacket. He pulled it away, wincing as he heard the tear rip across the coat, and nearly fell over his feet as he came across a set of stairs. He took the steps two – or three – at a time, half falling in his haste to outrun the puca. There was no telling whether its bite was still as deadly as it had been in Fenland House, but he wasn't standing around to find out.

Something told him that one could very easily die in this place.

He leapt down the last five steps, and promptly slammed into a door upon landing. He pulled it open and heaved it shut after him – seconds after the puca smashed into it. The door nearly buckled under the attack.

Michael turned to carry on running –

And found he was facing a wall.

A set of brooms and vacuum cleaners, to be exact.

He had just taken refuge in a cleaning cupboard.

Michael spun back around just in time to see Haru's morphed face dissipate away back into green mist.

Slowly, the fog began to roll in under the door.

ooOoo

Toto was not having a good day. First Michael had vanished, then the lardball, and now Baron _and_ Haru had made a double-disappearance.

To reiterate the first point: Today was not a good day.

He flew across the imitation of the town, but his companions were nowhere to be seen. That didn't entirely surprise him – in fact, it would surprise him if it did turn out to be that easy. The strange thing was, no matter which way he flew, he couldn't find the Sanctuary. Every time he neared its familiar location, the world seemed to spin around him and set him back over the Crossroads. Evidently, Louise did not desire visitors.

But still, he continued to fly. There wasn't much else left for him to do.

Suddenly, his surroundings fell away and were replaced with the inner workings of a… cupboard?

He dropped out of the air and landed awkwardly on Michael's head before he could fly straight into the cupboard wall.

"Sorry, sorry–" He paused in his apologises long enough to register the Haru-like form that now stood before them, in all her too-wide-mouthed and fanged glory. "What is _that_?"

"Not friendly!" Michael was pushing himself as far back as the cleaning cupboard would allow, but found his path blocked by several brooms and, mainly, a wall. "Shape-shifting, fairy-monster thing. What are you doing here?"

"I wish I knew." Deciding he didn't like the way the fairy-creature was baring its fangs at them, Toto jumped off Michael's head and aimed his talons at the monster. He registered Michael cry something about its bite, but by that time Toto had already left scars across its face.

It howled and staggered back.

And then, for some reason, dissolved back into green mist.

There was a long silence between Toto and Michael as they regarded the puca's remains. Then: "In my defence, it was a lot harder to get rid of the first time around."

"I don't doubt it. I suspect Louise is only playing with us; if she wanted us dead, she would have had the chance long ago." Toto landed on Michael's shoulder and took another look at their surroundings. "So, where are we?"

"Somewhere that looks like Fenland House..."

"Ah, the puca. Of course." Toto nodded as he recalled Baron telling them of the incident Haru had faced without them over a year ago. "I was wondering why we are in a broom cupboard." There was a pause, and then Toto added, "Actually, I am still wondering why we are in a broom cupboard."

"Accident," Michael muttered, reddening a little. He would be the one to run into a dead end and require rescuing from a bird. "So, what do we do now?"

"Explore and hope we're reunited with the others," Toto said. "There's little else we can do, I'm afraid."

ooOoo

With a sigh, Haru removed her hand from Toto's rook. In a moment of luck, Louise had left her bishop open to an attack, which Haru had snagged. For now, at least, Michael's piece was safe. "Do we take tea breaks during this game?" she groaned.

"Tea brea- no! We're playing a game of life-or-death here! You cannot ask for a _tea break_!"

Haru rubbed at the headache that was slowly forming. Whether it was stress or the dim lighting, she didn't know. "I concentrate better with tea," she mumbled. "This is terrible service. 2 out of 10. Would not recommend."

"This is a hostage situation. We're not meant to have service," Louise growled. "Could you treat this game with a little bit more respect?"

"Fine. But if you're not going to make me tea, can I?" Already Haru was rising to her feet and moving over to where Baron usually kept the cups and a secret stash of store-bought tea that he would admit to no one. As Haru had hoped, Louise had replicated the Bureau perfectly.

"You can't just leave the game!"

"I'm coming back," Haru muttered. She set the kettle boiling and located a small jug of milk. "Look, I can hardly see straight, let alone play. Anyway, it's your turn now." In truth, Haru's head was spinning. The humour was barely enough to cover the desire to curl up and cry. Too many times already had she rescued a Bureau piece at the last moment. The Fenland House puca, Stapleton, Doctor Moreau… How many other enemies from their past would they encounter before the day was done?

Haru glanced back at Baron's piece. He had managed to stay out of the worst of the fray, but Haru wondered guiltily to herself whether that was a subconscious effort on her part.

Louise's gaze rested on the knight also. "I think our dear Baron has stayed safe on the edges for too long, don't you?" she murmured. Her bright blue eyes glimmered and she moved her remaining bishop towards the knight. "Your turn."

ooOoo

Although their surroundings didn't change, Baron felt something shift in the air. It was perhaps not unlike the feeling that ants might experience – if they could – when someone has just hovered a magnifying glass over their hill. He stopped, just about resisting the urge to shiver at the sensation.

"Brace yourself. Something's coming."

Haru edged closer to him, never letting go of his hand as they patrolled down the colourful corridors. In theory, the bright walls should have lessened the eerie atmosphere, but Baron remembered quite clearly their last visit into the _Fabricated World_.

Baron pushed a set of doors open and walked into a large room of indistinguishable size. The light was so dim that it was impossible to see the far walls, and that everything was cast into monochrome. But there was just enough visibility to see the large dolls and figurines that littered the hall before them.

He glanced down to his hand and, as he had been half-expecting, the rose had vanished from his grasp. A quick look showed the same to be true of Haru.

"No. Not again."

A childlike laugh echoed across the shadowed room, and Mary – Guertena's Creation – skipped across towards them. She was still dressed in her forest green smock, her blonde curls bouncing behind her as she bounced their way. She held a single bloom in each hand. One orange, one lilac.

"No," Baron breathed.

"Hello." Mary laughed, her rosy cheeks dimpled with a smile. "I want to play a game." She held out the roses into the air, spinning them round in her hands. "It's called, Which Flower Should I Pick?"

"No."

"No?" Mary's smile gave way to an exaggerated pout. "Come on. Play with me." She dug a finger into each bloom, and pressed until a petal gave way.

Baron heard Haru hiss in pain. He only dimly registered the sudden shoot of pain across his skin as old wounds opened up again.

"No."

"Well, you're no fun," Mary muttered. "Come on. This should be easy. You were so quick to make a decision last time." She grinned and waved Haru's lilac rose towards him. "How hard can it be? Your life… or hers…" She plucked another petal and Haru staggered.

Instinctively, Baron caught Haru before she could fall. As he stared down into those pained maple eyes, something began to give way inside him.

"Haru… please say something," he whispered. His gaze searched for something in his companion, but at her fearful silence, he conceded defeat. Gently, he lowered her to the ground and stepped away.

Her hand reached out for his, but he twisted out of Haru's grasp.

"Louise!" he roared. "I've had enough of your tricks and games! You've had your fun! Come out!"

Mary gaped at him. "But… Haru's life is in danger. How can you just…?"

"She's not Haru," Baron snarled. He looked down to the brunette and his fire faded. "You're not Haru," he whispered.

There was a slow clapping from across the room, and the Duke walked steadily into the light. "Oh, well done, Baron. How long have you known?"

"From the beginning," Baron rasped. He looked away from the Haru lookalike, his heart aching from the hurt in those eerily familiar eyes. "I don't know what you've done, but this isn't Haru. Where is she? Where is the real Haru?"

"With Louise." The Duke smiled and shrugged loosely. "I'm curious; how did you see past our little deception? She should be the spitting image of the real thing."

"I've seen many fakes in my time," Baron said. He looked to the Haru, and now there was a heavy sort of pity in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but you're not her. The Haru I know is not the damsel in distress you've been created to be. Her world does not revolve around me, as you seem to have the impression of. My Haru fights for those she cares for. She would be far more worried about Michael – she would probably be blaming herself for his situation right now. And yet, you… you did not even correct Muta when he called him 'kid'."

She slowly rose back to her feet and backed away. "Baron…"

"Please, don't make this more difficult than it has to be, Haru–" He winced as the name passed his lips. "I'm sure Louise created you to be as true to the real Haru as possible, but the truth is… you're not her." He broke eye contact again, his heart breaking with every moment he looked her way. When everything was said and done, Louise had done a very good job. "Duke, take me to Haru."

"Oh, but that is Haru." The Duke grinned, his cane twirling in his grip. "She may not be physically the same as the one you know, but she was given all the emotions that yours knows. She loves you as truly as your Haru. Perhaps you should take her and go." The Creation smirked. "You won't get another chance like this."

This time, the Haru was silent. There was no fight, no argument from her, as he would have expected from a creation of Louise's. Only resignation. The feeling of sickness rose up in his throat as he turned to her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "But I can't leave her behind."

"Who would know the difference?" the Duke teased. "They're practically the same–"

"I would know," Baron growled. "I can't leave her. I'm sorry–" and the apology came again, falling from his lips automatically – "but I've met my share of doppelgängers and lookalikes. I have nothing against you, but I cannot leave Haru. I love her."

ooOoo

Haru dropped her hand away from Baron's piece. Her heart was hammering away inside her chest at a million miles an hour, or so it felt. Of course, she had known how he had felt, but hearing those words somehow made it… all too real.

A weak smile pulled at her lips as she passed a hand over her heart.

"Oh, this is just sickening," Louise growled. "It's time to bring this game to an end." She brought her queen out of the back row and into the fray. Into the middle, where it towered between the two knights. "Now it's time to make your decision. None of your pieces can take my queen, and you can only move one knight out of the way in time." She smiled. "So who are you going to save? Michael… or Baron?"

ooOoo

The world around Baron shifted again, and now the echo of the _Fabricated World_ was replaced with the Crossroads. The fake Haru had been transported alongside him, and it appeared he had been reunited with the rest of the Bureau – and Michael. Everyone had been brought back together.

Except for the real Haru.

"Is everyone alright?" He paused by the lone human. "Michael?"

Michael nodded, although he looked pale. "Fine. A little shaken. Have we found a way out yet?"

"No. But I have a feeling that things are coming to a head."

"What makes ya so sure, Baron?"

The Creation glanced back to the Haru. He opened his mouth to reveal her doppelgänger identity, and then hesitated. Even knowing she was a fake could not dispel his protectiveness. He looked away and changed his answer. "Just a feeling."

"Uh-oh. Looks like we've got company." Toto landed on Baron's shoulder, and motioned over to a feline form standing across the Crossroads. "It seems Louise has finally decided to make an appearance."

"'Bout time," Muta snorted. "I've had enough of wild goose chases." He stepped forward, shaking a podgy fist. "Was Moreau the best you could do, ya nutcase? Why don't ya come and face us properly, or are ya just a scaredy cat?"

Michael took a nervous step back. "Uh, Muta? Are you sure that that's a good idea?"

"Who cares? I'm sick of this place. Anyway, what's she gonna do?" He snorted and turned back just in time to see Louise vanish and reappear, inches in front of him. He yelped and ungainly leapt away.

"A very good question," Louise said. Her smile was self-assured and collected, but there was cruel humour in her sky-blue eyes. "I suggest you recall who's controlling the world you're currently standing in, Renaldo Moon. Or perhaps you would rather I changed the furniture around…?"

As her words trailed off, the ground gave way beneath Muta's paws.

He hissed and fumbled backwards, moving just in time to avoid going down with the cobblestones.

"Okay! Okay! I get the picture! Back off!"

Louise smiled and, with an elegant wave of her hand, brought the ground back into its complete form. Cracks still ran along between the cobblestones of the Crossroads, growing even as the Bureau watched them.

"What do you want, Louise?" Baron asked. His voice was carefully even, as if afraid that any show of emotion would prompt the other Creation to do something rash.

"Want?" Louise echoed. "I want my freedom."

"I… I'm sorry, Louise–" He winced, barely covering the jump as the world around them crackled with thunder.

"Don't. Apologise," she hissed. "What good is 'sorry' going to do me?"

"I can't let you loose," Baron said. "You and the Duke… You would cause chaos."

"You cannot know that."

"I think you forget that I was once the Duke," he whispered. "I know what he's capable of. I know how the war you were left alone to live through has changed you. I know the anger, the desperation, the fear that you inherited from the humans around you during those first years. I don't blame you for giving in to the rage, but I do take responsibility for it. I can't let you hurt anyone."

" _Let_ me?" Louise laughed. "What makes you think you're in any position to 'let me' do anything?" The sky blackened overhead, rolling with Louise's dark mood. Their surroundings began to ooze, as if the paint was running free from its canvas. "Don't you remember where you are? I control this tiny world you locked me away in. I've spent so many years here that it reacts to my slightest command. You can't save anyone any more than you could save your dear Haru."

Pain punctured his palm. His hands had curled into fists and his claws had dug into his skin, drawing blood. "Where is she?" he hissed. "Where is Haru?"

"Uh, Baron?" Muta said. "You okay? Chicky's right there."

"Yes, Baron. Why don't you tell them the truth?" Louise smirked. "You've lost your precious human, your Haru, and instead you've been left with nothing but a fake at your side." Louise turned her head to one side, smiling thinly. "And yet, despite all your claims to love Miss Haru, you still protect her imposter."

Baron became aware now that he had taken a stance between Louise and the Haru lookalike, despite no mental decision to do so. Meanwhile, his companions were taking in this new slew of information.

"Imposter?" Michael was the first to question. "What does she mean?"

"What do ya think, kid? We've been fooled." Muta narrowed his eyes, not at Louise but instead at Baron. "Oi. How long have you known?"

"Since the beginning," Louise said.

"I _suspected_ something since the beginning," Baron amended with a growl. He looked away from his ex-fiancée, apologetically turning to Muta and the others. "I wasn't sure and I didn't want to cause any… additional stress. We are in a world of Louise's invention, filled with memories of our past; it wasn't so far-fetched to consider that she might have taken it upon herself to replace a companion."

"Where's Haru?" Michael demanded.

Louise tutted. "I don't believe I was talking to you, human." This said, she hesitated and took another look at the young man, coming to a latent realisation. "Oh. You're him – the human Miss Haru has such strong feelings for." She glanced to Baron, her eyes glittering with mirth. "How does it feel to have lost to a human, Humbert?"

"He didn't."

Louise glanced irritably back to Michael. "I wasn't talking to you."

"He didn't lose to me," Michael repeated. He swallowed back nervously, but pressed on. "Haru didn't choose me. She broke up with me," and now he was carefully not looking towards Baron. "She didn't choose either of us. She was going to give up working with the Bureau for a while, just to get some normality." He heard the sudden intake of breath from Baron. "This isn't a game of us winning or losing her. This is her life you're talking about."

When he looked back up, he saw that Louise was looking at him with a grudging kernel of respect. "Heavens above, it looks like she really did find two knights," she muttered. "It's sickening."

"Was Haru serious?" Baron asked.

"Does it matter?" Louise snapped. "Neither of you are ever going to see her again." She waved a hand and the air shimmered with unspoken potential. From the cracks rose up vines that twisted themselves around the legs of the rest, trapping them in place.

The vines around Toto and Muta merely immobilised them, but the plants twisting around Baron and Michael continued to writhe and tighten, swirling across their chests and up to their necks. Thorns broke out along the vines, threatening to draw blood at a moment's notice.

Louise stalked over to where Baron was caught, grabbing his chin to meet his gaze. "Haru, I know you're watching, so watch well. It's time to make your decision. Who will you save?"

ooOoo

Haru dropped her hand away from Baron's piece, through whose eyes she had been watching.

"I can't… I can't do this," she whispered. She looked up to the Louise who was seated across from her. The real Louise, she suspected. The other one had to be an echo, a representation of the chess piece she was. Much like Haru's lookalike was. "Please… don't make me."

"You knew it was going to come down to this, Miss Haru. What good is any game without a little sacrifice?"

"Not this," Haru hissed. "I won't do this."

"Would you rather make it a game of chance?" Louise asked, smiling thinly. "Move a stray pawn, an errant piece, and leave me to decide which knight to take. Take away the blame from yourself, if you like."

"No." Haru dropped her head into her hands, staring across at the board. "No, there has to be another way. I can't… I can't let them die..."

"Did you really think this was going to be a painless game? Did you think everyone was going to escape unscathed? How naïve…"

"Please. Stop…" She closed her eyes, but that couldn't control the nauseous feeling rising through her. It was always going to end up like this, she realised. If not today, then another day, another case. One day she would have eventually have to choose between her human life and her Bureau one. Between her blessed, safe normality, and her crazy other-life. Michael and Baron were two sides of a coin that she had managed to hold on to until now.

She had just hoped that that day was far from coming.

"So… which one do you love more?"

"It's not like that," Haru said. "They're both important to me–"

"In the end, you must choose one. So, which will it be?"

"I can't."

"Why not?" Louise demanded.

"Because I can't condemn anyone to death!"

The Creation smiled. "Oh, Duke told me quite a different story."

Haru recalled the gun she had held to the Duke's head, and abruptly looked away.

"That's not who I am," she murmured. "I'm not a killer."

' _Liar_ ,' her mind hissed.

She had become many things to protect those she loved. Some had been for the better – stronger, faster, braver – while others had left her colder so she could do what was needed. Because the Duke had been right about one thing at least; Baron's approach to cases had forced her to step up. She was only human, after all, and was prone to all sorts of fallacies, such as heartbreak and fierce affection.

And so, today, she would have to become something new to save those she held dear.

"Stupid, stupid things," Haru whispered, and pushed a single piece forward into the path of Louise's queen.

ooOoo

Before Baron, Louise's eyes widened. She stepped away, her head tilting curiously to one side. "Oh. So she's decided. Interesting…"

"Ain't ya going to fill us in?" Muta demanded, as best as he could from the restraints of the vines. "So where is Chicky? What's happening?" He scrunched up his nose. "I hate it when people just go 'interesting' and trail off. It's never good."

"Haven't you guessed it yet?" Louise teased. "She's been playing a game. A game of chess, to be precise. With yourselves as the pieces."

"How did you get her to agree to play?" Toto asked.

"A few threats. It was surprisingly easy. For a girl with such fire, she sure quietens down once those she cares for are in danger. It was sadly predictable, really. But now the game has come to an end." The Creation paused, and leant back towards Baron. "Just out of curiosity, who do you think she saved? You? The reckless figurine who left her in this lurch? Or the human she abandoned to run into the world of magic and mystery?"

Baron stared back, his eyes locked on Louise's. "Haru, I hope you can hear me. I hope you know I have faith in you. Because if I know you – and I like to think I do – then you'll have found another way. But, please… please, don't do anything too rash."

Louise smiled. "Too late."

ooOoo

Haru released her hold on her own queen. The piece stood firmly in the middle of the board, right in front of Louise's queen. "Take it," she pleaded.

Louise echoed the smile that her imitation had just flashed Baron. "With pleasure."

As her queen was struck down, Haru was given the momentary image of her echo's last few seconds. New vines rose up from the ground and wound their way tight around the fake human's body. Haru closed her eyes, but that only made the image shine brighter in her mind. She was seeing through the other Haru's eyes. She was feeling the air squeezed from her lungs, the vines constricting around her neck.

And then, her echo vanished.

"Game, set, and match," Louise said. She reached over and grabbed Haru's wrist. "And now, for the rewards…"

ooOoo

Even as Baron was recovering from seeing Haru's lookalike fade into dust, the world around him dissolved and reconstituted into the familiar form of the Bureau. The vines were gone. Louise was gone. Things seemed… almost normal.

Michael pushed himself off the carpet, taking a few moments to prod gingerly at some fresh cuts. Despite the Bureau surroundings, he was now at the same height as Baron, which perhaps was a mercy considering the size of the Bureau. "What happened? Where are we? Where's… Where's Haru?"

"This is probably another trick," Muta grunted.

"No…" Baron raised his head, inhaling the familiar air of the Sanctuary. There was a freshness to the air that Louise's world had lacked. He would recognise his Bureau anywhere. "I think this is the real Sanctuary."

"Baron, what about Haru…?" Toto gently prompted. "If that wasn't the real one, then where…?"

"Here!"

As one, they turned around to see Haru standing in the doorway of the Bureau. She tapped her toes nervously, grinning tiredly.

"Hello."

"Haru?" Before he knew what was happening, Baron was taking one step towards her. And then another. And then, as instinct overthrew caution, he ran the final few steps and brought her into a close embrace. He dropped his head against her shoulder and knew – this was the real Haru. There was something more solid, more genuine about her. This wasn't an echo created by Louise. This was her. "Haru…"

The brunette chuckled nervously, and then cautiously returned the hug. Her grip tightened a few seconds later, her eyes closing in content relief. "Hello, Baron."

ooOoo

When feeling finally returned to her bones, Haru knew something was wrong.

For one, she had definitely been sitting on the white side of the chess board.

For another, there was something eerily unsettling about the feel of her body. She glanced down and saw white fur covering her hands. As part of her began to realise the truth, she raised a numb hand to her face and her face felt… padded? Velvety?

No.

She jumped up to her feet, and then promptly stumbled sideways, unaccustomed to her new body as she was. She grabbed Baron's desk to right herself, and now stared down at the white-furred, fingered paw that constituted for a hand.

She had lost. She had thrown away her queen, and thrown away her true body and ring in the process. And now she was here for… who even knew how long. Perhaps forever. Baron would have to realise the truth, though. He would never be fooled by Louise.

The building around her shook, and this time Haru's new legs gave way. She collapsed, her knees hitting the carpeted floor with a dull thud.

This… This was bad.

So bad.

There was another quaver, and a handful of dust rained down from above. Haru's ears flickered back and she glanced upwards. She looked just in time to see a beam break loose from the ceiling – and jumped just in time to avoid being flattened by it.

"Is this not bad enough already?!" Haru snapped as she dragged herself under Baron's desk. Her hand flew to her mouth – the voice that had escaped her lips had been Louise's, not hers. And although it perhaps was not something that should have been wholly unexpected, the voice still caught her unawares.

"Okay. This is weird."

The desk groaned as a significantly larger beam broke loose from above and crashed down onto it. Haru crawled beneath the desk and stumbled out just as it collapsed from the weight.

Out.

She had to get out.

She went running for the Bureau doors, but they would not open. She heaved at the handles, but the doors didn't just resist as if locked – they stood as if they were nothing more than walls with extended handles. There was no give to the hinges.

"Oh, come on!"

"Haru."

Haru spun around in time to see a white-furred feline standing in the middle of the collapsing Bureau.

"Lo- Louise?"

The accusatory tone fell somewhat flat as doubt crawled into her mind. Despite the chaos reigning around them, Haru's mind focused on the fact that something wasn't right about this. The clothes she wore were different for one; instead of the green dress, she was wearing a ruffled red gown and a wide-brimmed blue hat.

But, even if she hadn't been wearing new clothes, there was something undeniably different about this Louise. Her eyes were kinder, more akin to Baron's, her smile sadder, and there was none of the victory that Haru had come to expect.

"I'm so sorry."

Haru opened her mouth, and then closed it. There didn't seem to be much to say to that, apart from a slew of fresh questions. However, all save one was put on immediate hold when a clattering of roof slates broke through and fell through the form of the Louise lookalike.

"Who are you?"

"Not who, but what," the apparition replied. "I am the Sanctuary."

Again, Haru did her best impression of a goldfish, her mouth flapping for several more seconds as the Bureau fell apart around them. "That's funny, because you look an awful lot like Louise…"

"I save what I can," the Sanctuary said. "Memories, people, cries for help…"

" _I had always hoped that it could also save what little strands of goodness prevailed."_

That was what Baron had said. What he had hoped. That the Sanctuary could save the Louise he had once known.

"I could not save the Creation known as Louise," the Sanctuary said. "I could only gather what little good was left within her, and the memories that she kept. I take this form because it is as good as any. Because she and I are Creations both."

"Creations? The Sanctuary is a Creation?"

The Sanctuary blinked as the Bureau groaned around them. "I do not believe that is important now. You must leave here before this place collapses."

"I'm trying, but the doors are stuck."

"Not the Bureau. The painting in which Louise once resided," the Sanctuary amended. "She remained here for so long that this miniature world became dependant on her. Upon her departure, it has begun to crumble."

"Like Doctor Moreau's world," Haru murmured. "The portals collapsed when he died…"

"Yes. Although this situation is far more dire; it isn't simply the portals but the world itself that is giving way."

"Well, you're the Sanctuary. You get me out of here."

"I cannot. I do not have the power."

Haru turned back to the locked doors – although now she was beginning to wonder whether the doors now marked the edge of the house's boundaries – and tugged at the handles again. No luck.

"Those doors will not open. This world is collapsing upon itself and so this room is all that remains for now."

"There has to be a way out!" Haru's gaze shot across the Bureau. The building had faithfully reproduced the Bureau, save for Louise's portrait. Here, the painting was replaced by a similar painting, but of Baron.

That was it.

That had to be the exit.

"The way back will not open for you," the Sanctuary said as Haru stumbled over to the portrait. "The Baron made it so that Louise – or, more accurately, Louise's body – would not be able to leave this house's world. I cannot undo that spell."

As Haru's hands reached the portrait, the painting emitted sharp sparks that sent her recoiling back. Of course. Louise had taken her magic. She could no more open the exit than she could stop this world from collapsing. And, in Louise's body, the painting would not allow her near anyway.

"Please," she pleaded. "There must be something you can do!"

As the fake Bureau groaned and cracked around her, Haru was afraid that the Sanctuary's impassive stance would remain unchanged. But then, the Louise lookalike nodded. "I can clear a window between this world and the Bureau," the Sanctuary said. A hand was waved before the portrait, and the paint dissolved away into a hazy glass – again, glass as if painted. But it allowed a faint image of the Bureau. The real Bureau.

Baron, Michael, Toto, Muta… They had all made it.

And… herself.

Or Louise in her body, anyway.

Through the window, Haru watched as Baron pulled her into a tight hug, his eyes closed in relief.

Haru hammered on the glass, ignoring the painful sparks it flashed at her as she called out to the Creation. Praying he could hear her. Praying he would see her. Praying he would recognise her.

Praying he could improvise one more ending where everybody lived.

ooOoo

Baron opened his eyes, and was not ashamed when unshed tears clouded his vision. "Haru…"

"It's okay, Baron. I'm here."

He blinked his eyes and his gaze rested on the once-peaceful portrait of Louise. Only now, something had changed. A window had been created between the Bureau and Louise's painting. He blinked again, and his vision cleared to reveal a desperate Louise slamming her fists against the barrier. Her mouth was moving in silent cries, and something unsettled inside him.

He released Haru, and stepped away.

"Haru… What happened back there?"

"It's… complicated. Why?"

He pointed to Louise in the window. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't understand what, precisely. All he knew was that something was hurting inside at seeing Louise there. Something that was more than just the pain of what might have been – what should have been – the snow-white Creation.

Louise's lips were repeating the same word.

' _Baron_.'

Without a thought, he took a step towards the window, only stopping when Haru took his hand.

"Humbert, leave her."

"She's… in pain," he said. "I can't…"

"Can't what? Abandon her? Like you did for the past how many years?" Haru asked. "I think you can."

Baron paused, and then, very deliberately, freed his hand from hers and stepped up to the painting's frame.

Louise's face broke into a tearful smile, and now Baron could see the background of the Bureau inside the house's world. It was tearing up, shattering into pieces like an earthquake was rendering it apart. Louise didn't seem to notice though. Her eyes remained trained on the other Creation, her fists slackening their frantic beat against the glass. His name was mouthed again.

Baron slowly raised his hand against the window, and his heart understood something that his mind had missed.

"Too late," he whispered.

"What?"

"Too late," he repeated. He looked back to the brunette. "That's what Louise said. 'Too late'. Why say that if she had lost?"

"Maybe she made a mistake," Haru offered. "Got overconfident."

"I don't think so."

Muta raised a paw. "Uh, hey? Could ya bring the rest of us up to speed? What's going on?"

Baron narrowed his eyes at Haru. "Why don't you explain… Louise?"

"Oh, already?" Haru – or, rather, Louise – pouted. "I was expecting a little bit more time before you noticed."

Baron grabbed her shoulders. "Get. Haru. Out. NOW," he snarled.

Louise smiled nastily. "Don't you remember? My body can never leave that world. You made quite sure of that, my dear."

"Baron, what's happening?" Michael demanded. "What's…? I mean, Haru…?"

"This isn't Haru," Baron growled. "Louise has stolen Haru's body and left Haru back in the house."

"You can get her back, right?"

The bleak look in Baron's eyes spoke volumes.

"Oh, isn't this a tragedy?" There was a fresh set of laughter, and the Duke arrived on the scene, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Afternoon, Louise," he said, tipping his hat. "Next time you try to drop me off, do attempt to at least drop me off where the action is. What have I missed?"

"Not much," Louise chuckled. "Merely a few unpleasant truths coming to light. But, then again, we knew that was going to happen sooner or later." Louise tried to pull herself free, but Baron caught her wrist and held tight. "Oh, now, Baron; that's hardly gentlemanly…"

"Reverse the spell," he ordered. "Return to your own body, Louise."

"And spend another eternity in that wretched miniature world? I don't think so." She started to laugh, but then a shiver rippled through her. A gasp was ripped from her lips and she collapsed down. Baron caught her before she could hit the ground.

"This would be sweet if I didn't know you were just doing this because it's her body," Louise rasped. She rolled her head towards the Duke. "What's going on?"

"Ah… A slight oversight, it would seem." The Duke shrugged noncommittally. "There was a chance that, upon your departure of your house, the world inside it would start to collapse. Well, that is unfortunate."

" _Unfortunate_?" Muta echoed. "Chicky's in there!"

The Duke grinned and looked directly at the fat cat. At the dangerous glimmer in the Duke's eyes, Muta decided against charging down the Creation. "I guess she is. Louise, if that body is failing, it must be because the soul originally attached to it is losing connection."

"Connection?" Toto asked. "You mean…?"

"Yes. Your friend's time is almost up. I'm surprised she lasted as long as this with the world she occupies currently collapsing around her. She's lucky." The Duke paused, and then added with a lopsided smile, "Relatively."

ooOoo

Haru kicked at the beam that had trapped her lower body, aware that every breath was beginning to hurt. She heaved at it, sparing a glare to the Sanctuary. "What good are you if you can't get me out of here?" she screamed.

"I cannot prevent this world from collapsing," the Sanctuary said. "Only the return of Louise will stop that. And I cannot make that happen. When this world collapses entirely, you and everything else in it will vanish."

"Then what can you do?"

The Sanctuary was silent. And then, "Your magic…"

"I don't have my magic!" The words came out as near sobs as she fought against the beam that gravity was calling down to crush her. A bubble of panic rose up in her chest, making it ache worse. "My magic is in my other body! My real body!" she screamed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I–" Haru's mouth snapped shut. No. There was a glimmer of… something. A spark of her magic that had to have transferred with her soul.

"Magic is linked to one's very being," the Sanctuary told her. "It never truly leaves us."

The world shuddered around them, and the far end of the Bureau collapsed entirely. In its wake was left a wall of… nothingness. It was the smoke and haze that occupied the space between worlds. The place between dimensions.

Haru didn't want to drop through there. If it didn't kill her, then she could end up drifting through nothingness forever. That, or be abandoned on a world far, far from here. None of the options were inviting.

"I haven't got my ring!" Haru shouted. Her voice was sucked away by the nothingness void that was creeping towards her. "I can't create a portal out of nothing!"

The Sanctuary knelt down before her, and now there was fresh kindness in those sapphire eyes. "Not all hope is lost," the Sanctuary whispered, and it sounded like it came more from the original Louise than the Sanctuary itself. There was an echo of the character that Baron had become, a remnant of something sad and old. The Sanctuary raised a hand to Haru's forehead, brushing a bare finger against her head. "Magic will always protect its owner, in whatever way it can. I do not know how your magic will do that, but I can prompt it to, if you so wish."

Haru thought over her options. All three that regarded the swirling nothingness all had one thing in common – she would be leaving the Bureau behind. She would be leaving her friends for a long, long time, possibly for good. She would lose Baron.

And here was a final option. A wildcard.

A chance to be reunited.

"Save me."

ooOoo

Out in the courtyard, Haru's body rejected Louise's soul as the connection between the real body and soul was broken. Haru's body went limp and a wisp of something… silver escaped from her lips. It gathered at her mouth and then drifted over to the Duke, who took it almost reverently from the air.

"Well, I would so love to stay and chat, but I have a feeling you won't appreciate the company," he laughed. He tipped his hat and, while the Bureau was too stunned to react, he swiped the golden ring off Haru's lifeless hand and disappeared in a swirl of portal magic.

"Oi, Baron… ain't we gonna do something….?"

"Like what?" Baron whispered. He knelt down by the unmoving body of Haru, lifeless save for the flutter of a heart which hadn't been told that its soul had been lost. "She's gone…"

"Gone?" Michael echoed. "No. No, no, no – this isn't possible. What – What do you mean?"

"The world she was in collapsed," Toto softly explained. "Either the shock of being dropped between dimensions will have killed her instantly, or she'll be left floating in that space for ever. There's no way to bring back someone lost in the between-space."

"There has to be–"

"There isn't," Baron said. He gently lifted Haru's body into his arms. It was still living, still waiting for the return of a soul that would never come back. Still warm, but empty. He dropped his head against her shoulder, holding her carefully to him as silent sobs wracked through him. "I'm sorry," the whisper came. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have… I should never… This is my fault… I'm sorry, Haru. Please, come back to me… I'm sorry… I love you…"

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N: How much do you hate me now?**

 **Also, many thanks goes to** _ **to-become-wind**_ **(Tumblr account) for unintentionally giving me the idea to house Louise's prison in her painting, instead of one of the Sanctuary houses, which was my original concept.**

 **Stick around for the Behind The Scenes chapter next week! ...Assuming I live that long.**

 **Cat.**


	15. Behind the Scenes (short)

_._

 _The Bureau Files: Series 3_

 _Behind the Scenes_

 **ooOoo**

 **AN: Better late than never, I guess? It's short, because I haven't got a lot of time/energy for this, but this mostly comes with an announcement. Series 4 is going to be appearing next week!**

 **ooOoo**

 **Behind the Scenes (short)**

\- HARU & BARON -

Haru settles herself down into an interview seat, attaching a microphone to her collar with the ease of practice. She's wearing a replica of her school outfit, while Baron at her side is in his usual suit. "So, are we finally doing this?" she asks. "It's taken so long that I was starting to think we weren't this year."

"Are you saying that you lament the opportunity for the reunion of the cast?" Baron asks with a grin.

"Of course not. All I'm saying is we've practically finished filming for the next series at this point."

There's a cough from behind the camera; evidently courtesy of the interviewer. "Actually, I'm glad you've already brought that up, Haru. So there is a fourth series in production?"

She smirks. "Spoilers."

"Given what you've just said, I hardly think revealing that there will be a fourth series counts as 'spoilers', Haru," Baron points out. "Anyway, we could hardly end the series on the note the third series finished at."

"We could try."

"Haru, no."

"Ah, yes; the finale." There's a shuffling of chair legs as the interviewer shifts in his seat. "That was… dramatic. I'm sure many of our viewers would like to know whether this is really the end for Haru. While she may not be strictly dead, the finale made it quite clear that her soul was lost."

Haru and Baron exchange glances. "I… I'm not sure how much we can say," Haru says eventually.

"Well, you've been called back to the set, evidently," the interviewer prompts, most probably referring to Haru's costume. "Can that, at least, be confirmed?"

"Oh. Oh, well, I guess so? But," and here, Haru chooses her words carefully, "I suppose it would be more accurate to say that the Bureau are still haunted by what happened… I could even say that they're seeing Haru wherever they go." She grins.

There's a grumble from the interviewer and the shuffling of notes. He moves on to his next question. "And how is the filming going?"

"We're nearly done," Baron answers. "In fact, part of the reason we've been called in for these interviews is to announce that the start of series 4 will be released next Friday."

There's the clink of a coffee mug abruptly being set on a table. "What?"

"I guess nobody told you, huh?" Haru asks.

"Not in so many words."

– EVERYONE –

Now together, the cast have been left in the interviewing lounge; it appears the interviewer has gone home and left them to their own devices. Baron has already found the tea, and Muta the biscuit tin. He eats his way through the jammie dodger packet while reading through the reviews.

"Right, but someone called ya a Gary Stu."

Baron pauses in pouring out a cup of tea for Haru. "I don't believe I understand the reference."

Haru takes pity on Baron. "A Gary Stu is, uh… well, it's a character that can be too powerful or without flaws, and…"

"I think the exact words they used were 'too-perfect-to-be-real'," Muta interrupts.

"Oh." Baron looks a little conflicted on how to respond. "I'm not sure that is accurate, but there are worse things than being too perfect, isn't there?"

"Okay, but your 'fatal flaw' in Cap's world was literally that you helped too much. If that ain't goody-two-shoes, I don't know what is."

"He has a point," Haru admits. "But that's not being forgotten in series 4. I mean, part of Baron's character arc is that there's Duke, who's meant to be his worse side all in one. And I guess Baron's 'goody-two-shoes' side, as you called it, does have consequences?"

"Like how other people have to keep stepping up to protect others," Toto says.

"Exactly. Like in Mary's world, or dealing with the Duke in the museum…" Haru hesitates, and then continues. "And, after all that, Haru's not the same person she started out as because of it, and that's something that is going to come up in series 4."

"Are we allowed to say that, Chicky?"

"Well, it's too late now. But we're getting off the point here – I was on a roll. Because, where saving the other is concerned, Haru and Baron are kind of two different extremes? I guess the best way to put it would be that Baron would die for Haru, and Haru would kill for Baron, and normally they tend to balance each other out and keep themselves in check. I mean, Baron's never killed anything, has he?"

"He did attempt to kill the nightmare from Neverland," Toto reminds her.

"Yeah, and that worked out well," Muta snorts.

"That was also one of the few times that he revealed the sword in his cane," Haru says.

Baron smiles and finishes sipping his tea. Before he can clarify, a bell goes off across the room and the cast get to their feet.

"Sounds like they're ready to start shooting the next scene," Toto prompts. "We should get going."

"Do ya think Louise might've brought along another batch of cookies?"

"Is that all you ever think about, butterball?"

"Actually, she does make pretty decent cookies," Haru adds. "If they're lemon, you might have to fight me for them, Muta."

"Good luck, Chicky."

The door swings shut behind them. The camera carries on recording the empty room until Haru comes clattering back in. "Thanks for sticking with us, folks." She clicks off the recording, and the video comes to a close.

 **ooOoo**

 **A/N: Yes, the next series will be posted next Friday!**

 **Many thanks go to everyone who reviewed:** _ **nalua93, hellapeachy, nanigirl15, DiamondAndPearlStories, lovedovey14, Kohakubear, Bluetem8, Nanenna, Midnight Redhead, Tie-Dyed Broadway, Suzumehime, Eirithdiel, Raye of the Sunshine, I play wid fir3, Valentine Meikin, obsessive-anime-freek-1, KuraiArcoiris, PrincessoftheShadowsofDestiny, NitenGale, Hazelfox, isara-love, Tasolae, WhisperofWorlds, The-Right-Girl, Xireana Prime, Jac Grove, YingWhiteyWolf, Alapest, Rose.**_ **, and of course every** _ **anon**_ **to visit by.**

 **I'm sorry I've been out of the loop, especially where this series is concerned, for so long, and thank you for all the lovely messages. 2016… wasn't a great year for me.**

 **Also, sorry for the brevity of this BTS chapter. The main reason was to update people as to the upcoming new series, which means my head is full of what's to come, and less so of what has come before it. But, yes; I haven't forgotten this story. So. 5** **th** **May. Keep your eyes peeled!**


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